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☆ Denmark Made Home Buying Easier. America Should Follow Its Lead.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

When mortgage rates shoot up, as they did over the past two years, many would-be sellers decide they don't want to move after all. AdvertisementAs the Federal Reserve began pushing up borrowing rates in the spring of 2022, hoping to reel in rising inflation, mortgage rates went vertical. So far, this system of pooling together mortgage bonds and selling them to investors is pretty close to the American way of doing things. When US homeowners pay off their mortgages, they have only one option: pony up the amount left on the loan. That's not just good for buyers or sellers or mortgage loan officers — it's good for everyone.

Persons: It's, John Campbell, Danes, Freddie Mac, that's, Will Doerner, —, aren't, pesky, Campbell, Fannie Mae, Banks, Jesper Berg, there's, That's Organizations: Harvard, Federal Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Homeowners, Danish Financial Supervisory Authority Locations: America, …, Denmark, Zillow, Canada, Australia, Danish

☆ Why mortgage rates are doomed to stay above 7% for the foreseeable future
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Housing experts were betting on mortgage rates to decline this year on looser Fed policy. Yet, the 30-year mortgage rate has been stuck around 7% all year. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae say they expect mortgages to stay in the 7% range through 2024. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . With the Federal Reserve looking unlikely to ease rates before September, housing market analysts are recalibrating mortgage rate outlooks, as home loan rates are heavily influenced by the Fed funds rate.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, — Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Business

☆ From more inventory to lower prices, here are 3 signs the housing market may be getting better for buyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe housing market may be starting to turn a corner, offering frustrated buyers a chance to jump back into the market after a long stretch of dismal prospects. "We think the housing market is going to improve over the next half of a year," Glenn Kelman, the CEO of Redfin, in a recent interview. Inventory is risingMore inventory is finally trickling into the housing market, which could help push prices down. Elevated mortgage rates are a key problem in today's housing market, as they deter both buyers and sellers from making deals. Rates dropping to 5%-6% would make the housing market "explode," but even a 6.5% 30-year mortgage rate would be enough to make the housing market "very strong," Reffkin said.

Persons: —, Glenn Kelman, That's, Robert Reffkin, Reffkin, Freddie Mac, Redfin's Kelman, Kelman, Compass's Reffkin Organizations: Service, Business, National Association of Realtors, CNBC Locations: Reffkin, Texas, Florida

☆ Mortgage rates fall for the third straight week, dipping below 7%
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates declined for the third consecutive week in a shred of good news for Americans dealing with a still-tough housing market. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield, which moves in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates. Stubbornly high inflation this year has dashed hopes that the Fed could cut interest rates in the spring or in the summer. Some Fed officials said earlier this week that they likely won’t raise interest rates again and a few have said they expect to cut rates this year. With mortgage rates still elevated, some homeowners are deciding to stay put.

Persons: Freddie Mac, inflation’s cooldown, there’s, homebuyers, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, That’s, ” Lawrence Yun, ”, Yun, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN —, Treasury, National Association of Realtors, Fed, Housing Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit

☆ Home sales: Prices in the US housing market continue to climb
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Rising US home prices are heightening the housing affordability crisis for Americans, especially first-time buyers. Housing affordability takes into account prices, household incomes and mortgage rates. Sales fell in April for the second month in a row as mortgage rates surged past 7%. Mortgage rates track the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note, which moves in anticipation of the Fed’s decisions on interest rates. Low housing affordability typically crimps demand.

Persons: it’s, ”, Lawrence Yun, Freddie Mac Organizations: Washington CNN —, National Association of Realtors, Global, NAR, Federal Reserve, Fed, Treasury Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, America, ”

Mortgage rates dropped last week following the release of April's Consumer Price Index data, which showed that inflation slowed last month. Mortgage rates are expected to go down as inflation decelerates toward the Fed's 2% target level. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac Organizations: April's, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ Why some investors are bullish on this asset class that's yielding over 6%
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Right now, securitized products in general look relatively cheap, said John Kerschner, head of U.S. securitized products and portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors. To meet this need, Janus launched its Securitized Income ETF (JSI) in November, which invests across the securitized space. JSI YTD mountain Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF Collateralized loan obligations Another fund Kerschner manages is the Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF . One way investors can get broad exposure to CMBS via BlackRock's iShares CMBS ETF . CMBS YTD mountain iShares CMBS ETF year to date However, Janus' Kerschner pointed out that all office work isn't going away.

Persons: Nick Travaglino, Nuveen, Travaglino, John Kerschner, Janus Henderson, Janus, Kerschner, Rick Rieder, I've, Rieder, CLOs, it's, isn't, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Kershner, We're Organizations: Investors, Fund, Janus Henderson Investors, SEC, Janus Henderson AAA CLO, Bank of America, AAA CLOs, BlackRock AAA CLO Locations: CLOs, BlackRock, Moody's, CMBS, multifamily

☆ Budget-minded homebuyers should look in these 23 cities where down payments are plummeting, even in an unaffordable housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Affordability remains a headacheHome affordability has taken a huge hit since the pandemic as mortgage rates, property prices, and — by extension — down payments have surged. Mortgage rates have since more than doubled at over 7%, and houses cost over $70,000 more at $332,000. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is now roughly triple the 2.7% rate it was at in early 2021. The savings rate in the late 2010s was around 6.5% of disposable income, and it spiked early in the pandemic due to a surge of government stimulus. 23 cities where down payments are down meaningfullyAlthough affordability is limited as mortgage rates, home prices, and down payments have risen, there are still dozens of cities where the cost of buying a house is headed lower.

Persons: —, Hannah Jones, Realtor.com, Freddie Mac, they'd, Jones Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Realtor.com

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThis week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.09%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched up to 6.38% this week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Fannie Mae, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

Thirty-year mortgage interest rates have been holding steady after dipping below 7% earlier this month, according to Zillow data. Once the Fed is able to start cutting rates, mortgage rates should also go down. On the other hand, if April's CPI data shows signs of cooling, mortgage rates could inch down a bit further. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.09% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.38% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a nine-basis-point decrease from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Bank, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ 'The deals are going to come': A real-estate investor with over 40 years of experience shares the 2 financing strategies he used to build up his portfolio — and the best way new investors can start sc
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Preparation and being in the right place at the right time is how he said he's built up his real-estate portfolio in Erie County, Pennsylvania, over the last four decades. Throughout his real-estate investing journey, many of Miller's deals came about through seller financing and being at the right place at the right time. Another financing strategy Miller employed to build his portfolio was using a hard-money lender. "Hard-money lending is probably something that's going to help you grow your portfolio faster than any other thing," Miller said. "Most of these programs range anywhere from a hundred percent financing all the way up to 105% financing, depending on the state."

Persons: Joel Miller, he's, Miller, Miller —, —, Miller's, Jeff Welgan, Freddie Mac's, Welgan Organizations: Business, Facebook, Housing Act Locations: Erie County , Pennsylvania, New

☆ I worked at SpaceX. It was the most ruthlessly efficient company I've ever worked for.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Jamie Killin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This is an as-told-to essay based on a transcribed conversation with Vincent Peters, founder of Inheritance AI and former SpaceX employee discussing his career path and experience at SpaceX. I was introduced to people on the SpaceX Mission team, and ultimately, they asked me to interview with them for a job at SpaceX. What it's like working at SpaceXSpaceX is the most efficient company I've ever worked for. AdvertisementThat mentality is how I started working on Starlink. In 2020, I asked to help and was allowed to work on their projects in addition to my work at SpaceX.

Persons: Vincent Peters, couldn't, Freddie Mac, I'd, Gwynne Shotwell, I've, it's, It's, We're Organizations: Service, SpaceX, Business, Federal Aviation Administration, US Government, SpaceX Mission, International, NASA, Department of Defense, SpaceX SpaceX, Elon Locations: West, cubicles, Elon

☆ Home Sellers' Tough Summer: Get Ready for Lower Prices, Fewer Offers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Rich baby boomers jumped in with all-cash offers, and sellers scored huge windfalls as weary buyers pushed prices to new heights. After all, people have to move for a wide variety of life reasons; mortgage rates be damned. "The further and further we get from the peak of the market," Peterson told me, "the harder it is to deny what's happened." Mortgage rates haven't fallen — in fact, they've gone up about 0.6 percentage points since the start of the year. "It can always be tricky telling somebody that they were just lucky because it makes you sound envious," Peterson told me.

Persons: Rich, Sellers, Eric Peterson, Peterson, Austin, Freddie, they've, Selma Hepp, Freddie Mac, Mike Simonsen, Redfin, towners, Libby Levinson, Katz, Price, Levinson, John Burns, they'll, Realtor.com, you'd Organizations: Freddie Mac, Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Altos Research, Sun, John, John Burns Research, Consulting Locations: Austin, Boise , Idaho, Denver

☆ I worked at SpaceX where Elon Musk was a cubicle away. At Elon's companies, it's add value or leave.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Jamie Killin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Vincent Peters worked in military compliance when he was poached to work at SpaceX. So I graduated on medical leave, couldn't be deployed, and continued on medical leave for another six months before being discharged. I was introduced to people on the SpaceX Mission team, and ultimately, they asked me to interview with them for a job at SpaceX. AdvertisementThat mentality is how I started working on Starlink. In 2020, I asked to help and was allowed to work on their projects in addition to my work at SpaceX.

Persons: Vincent Peters, —, couldn't, Freddie Mac, I'd, Gwynne Shotwell, I've, it's, It's, We're Organizations: SpaceX, Service, Federal Aviation Administration, US Government, SpaceX Mission, International, NASA, Department of Defense, SpaceX SpaceX, Elon Locations: West, cubicles, Elon

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.22% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.47% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a three-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Freddie Mac Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Reserve, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ Renters' hopes of being able to buy a home have fallen to a record low, New York Fed survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The share of renters as of February who possess hopes of "residential mobility," or the belief from renters that they one day will be able to afford a home, fell to a record low 13.4% in the central bank's annual housing survey for 2024. Pessimism about future prospects comes amid a confluence of factors conspiring against the likelihood of renters being able to transition to home ownership. Moreover, mortgage rates have remained high by historical standards. Survey respondents expect housing prices to increase 5.1% over the next year, nearly double the 2.6% expected rate in February 2023 and above the pre-pandemic mean of 4.2%. Despite prospects for the Fed to cut interest rates before the end of 2024, respondents think mortgage rates are only going to go higher.

Persons: Freddie Mac, There's Organizations: New York Federal Reserve, New York Fed, National Association of Realtors, Fed, Federal, Market Locations: Manhattan, New York City, New

☆ Opinion | The Case for Letting Mortgages Move With Us
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the moment, the market for existing homes is partly frozen because people who have 3 percent mortgage loans don’t want to give them up for 7 percent loans on new homes. Making mortgages portable sounds unrealistic. After all, mortgages are tied by contract to particular pieces of property. “We’re getting this question a lot, even from our own members,” Mike Fratantoni, the group’s chief economist, told me. Nevertheless, he said he couldn’t imagine that owners of securitized loans would go along with the idea.

Persons: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, “ We’re, ” Mike Fratantoni, there’s Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mortgage Bankers Association

☆ What exactly goes into closing costs?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But there is an often-overlooked expense when buying a home: closing costs. At the same time, the Biden administration plans to take aim at so-called “junk fees” hidden in closing costs. New York, Delaware and Washington, DC, have the highest average closing costs, according to Bankrate; while Missouri, Indiana and North Dakota have the lowest. Lowering closing costs on your ownThere is one relatively simple way to lower your overall closing costs: shop around. “When you compare those offers, examine not just the rate itself but also the closing costs.

Persons: homebuyers, —, Biden, ” Jeff Ostrowski, , ” Ostrowski, you’re, homebuyers haven’t, Brian Connolly, it’s, “ It’s, ” Connolly, Connolly, ”, Freddie Mac, ” Genaro Villa Organizations: CNN, Consumer Financial, National Association of Realtors, realtors, University of Michigan, NAR, homebuyers Locations: New York , Delaware, Washington, Missouri, Indiana, North Dakota, Bankrate, AnnualCreditReport.com

☆ The US could give homeowners a $980 billion stimulus at no additional cost, 'Oracle of Wall Street' says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. That's if Freddie Mac secures approval from its regulator to operate in the market for secondary mortgages, also commonly known as home equity loans. If greenlighted, the scheme would be equivalent to a huge stimulus injection, but without a cent added to the national deficit, the "Oracle of Wall Street" explained. As Freddie Mac is a massive provider of mortgage market liquidity, the move could encourage more banks to extend this financing to customers. The proposal noted that options are limited for homeowners who want to tap their equity, meaning that few are benefiting from the housing market's appreciation.

Persons: —, Meredith Whitney, Whitney, Freddie Mac, Freddie Mac's, Freddie, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae Organizations: Service, Business

☆ The spring homebuying season isn’t what it used to be, thanks to the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

All that has caused the spring homebuying season to take a timeout — and could spell trouble for the remainder of the year. Since 1999, more than a third of home sales for the entire year occur between March and June on average, according to Freddie Mac data. Given the Fed is in no rush to cut interest rates, Khater expects mortgage rates to remain elevated for longer. Taken together, all these factors will likely put upward pressure on home prices, Khater and his team said in the report. “Our outlook does depend on mortgage rates, which are creating their own seasonality,” she added.

Persons: That’s, ” Zillow, Nicole Bachaud, “ Buyers, Bachaud, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac, Khater, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, CNN, “, Fed Locations: New York, Texas, Florida

☆ US home prices rose in February at the fastest pace in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —US home-price growth accelerated in February at the fastest annual pace since November 2022, a sign that America’s housing market remains tough amid elevated mortgage rates. Of the 20 cities, San Diego saw the biggest increase in home prices in February, a steep 11.4% rise, followed by Chicago and Detroit. America’s housing market began to recover in the beginning the year as home sales surged from decades-lows in the fall and homebuilders began to feel to more upbeat about the economy. Mortgage rates have followed suit, since they track the 10-year yield. Economists don’t expect mortgage rates to drop meaningfully this year, and they could continue to climb if inflation remains stuck.

Persons: homebuilders, Freddie Mac Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Treasury Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, Portland , Oregon

☆ As home sellers, buyers wait on a Fed cut, here's how mortgage rates have impacted the spring housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People looking to buy or sell a home this spring are paying close attention to mortgage rates. The average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 7.17% for the week ending April 25, according to Freddie Mac data via the Federal Reserve. It remains unclear when the Federal Reserve might make its first rate cut. "I believe our first rate cut is penciled in for July," said Matthew Walsh, assistant director and economist at Moody's Analytics. "We might not see rates fall in any meaningful way until [the] later half of this year," he said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Matthew Walsh, Walsh Organizations: Federal Reserve, Moody's Analytics, Finance

When you miss a mortgage payment, you incur late fees and hurt your credit score. But skipping mortgage payments comes with serious consequences that could include losing your house. Are you finding it hard to make your monthly mortgage payment? This allows you to pause your mortgage payments for a certain amount of time or, in some cases, make reduced payments instead. FAQsWhat should I do first if I realize I can't make my mortgage payment?

Persons: Craig Martin, Christian Mills, Freddie Mac, you've, you'll, it's, Aly J, Yale Aly J, Bob Organizations: Christian, US Department of Housing, Urban, Chevron, Yale, Forbes, Money Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Bob Schieffer College of Communication, Twitter

Most major forecasts believe that mortgage rates will ultimately trend down this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThis week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.17%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched up to 6.44% this week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Fannie Mae, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Reserve, US, of, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

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