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☆ Mortgage rates edge closer to 7%, dampening start of spring homebuying season
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates climbed for the fourth week in a row, inching closer to 7% just as peak homebuying season gets underway. Since reaching a 20-year high of 7.79% in October, mortgage rates have been slowly falling. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. Last week, mortgage applications dropped 5.6% from the week before, according to the MBA. Higher home prices pushed loan amounts higher in January, offsetting what was a monthly decline in mortgage rates, said Edward Seiler, MBA’s associate vice president for housing economics.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit, Mike Fratantoni, Edward Seiler, MBA’s, Lawrence Yun Organizations: DC CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington

☆ Declining boomer ownership will free up 9.2 million homes by 2035, Freddie Mac says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Aruni Soni | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Declining boomer ownership will free up 9.2 million homes by 2035, a Freddie Mac report found. The 32 million homes owned by boomers will drop to 23 million by 2035, when the oldest members of the group are pushing 90. A new report from Freddie Mac estimates that declining homeownership for the group will free up 9.2 million homes by 2035. The generation accounts for about 21% of the total US population, but they own 38% of American homes, Freddie Mac found. The 32 million homes owned by the generation as of 2022 will drop to 23 million in 2035, when the oldest boomers will be close to 90 years old.

Persons: Freddie Mac, —, Meredith Whitney Organizations: Service, American Consumer Survey

Mortgage rates have dropped a bit from last week's highs, but they haven't come down enough yet to substantially improve affordability for borrowers. Average 30-year mortgage rates dropped to 6.34% in January, according to Zillow data, a low not seen since last spring. If the core PCE price index comes in hotter than expected, mortgage rates could trend back up a bit. 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. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.29% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Federal, Core PCE, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

Strong economic data has pushed back expectations of when mortgage rates will drop, but experts still believe they'll go down this year. This means that mortgage rates may remain elevated for at least a few more months. 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. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.29%, a 17-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

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

☆ Gen Z Is Saving Money by Living With Parents; It's Going to Cost Them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

There are 620,000 more adults living with their parents in the UK than a decade ago. In the US, the percentage of young adults living at home has climbed 87% over the past two decades, according to the US Census Bureau. More than one-third of Gen Z respondents in a 2022 Freddie Mac survey said it's something they thought they'd never be able to achieve. A similar share of young adults lived with their parents in the wake of the Great Recession in 2010 — 44%. For many young adults, living on your own is an important step to feeling grown up.

Persons: Bethany Clark, didn't, she's, Clark, they'd, Moody's, renter, Zers, homebuyers, Gen, Freddie Mac, millennials, Z, grads, We're, Amy Lewthwaite, Lewthwaite, shouldn't, I've, Sarah Obutor, who'd, Obutor, —, Gen Zers, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Arnett Organizations: Census Bureau, Bloomberg, Harris, National Association of Realtors, Bloomberg Businessweek, Guardian, Financial Times, Urban Institute, Northumbria University, Clark University Locations: Surrey, England, America, London, Georgia

Average 30-year mortgage rates started the month low, but they've increased substantially since then and are now nearing 7%. 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 6.90% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.29% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a 17-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

The economy has been doing surprisingly well so far this year, and it's pushing mortgage rates back up. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.90% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Average 15-year mortgage rates also increased to 6.29% this week, a 17-point jump. Once the Federal Reserve starts lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the third week in a row to 6.9%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates climbed for the third week in a row, inching closer to 7%. Mortgage rates have been making smaller moves over the past two months, after coming down from last year’s high, 7.79%, reached in October. Historically, Khater said, the mix of a strong economy and higher rates didn’t meaningfully impact the housing market. “In essence, Federal Reserve officials are seeking more concrete evidence of sustained improvement in inflation before making any changes,” she said. “The recent increase in mortgage rates has the potential to slow the market by disrupting the plans of many buyers, especially in a market where a significant number of consumers are anticipating lower mortgage rates, not higher,” said Xu.

Persons: Freddie Mac, who’ve, “, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Jiayi Xu, Powell’s, Xu Organizations: DC CNN —, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, Federal, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

Mortgage rates jumped up last week following the release of some hotter-than-expected inflation data. Once it looks clearer that inflation is coming down to the Fed's 2% target, mortgage rates should ease. 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 is 6.77%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.12% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: Mary Daly, agilely, Daly, Price, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association for Business, San Francisco Fed, Index, Fed, Zillow Locations: Chevron

The economy has been doing surprisingly well so far this year, so it may be a bit longer before we see mortgage rates start trending down. Higher mortgage rates will likely temper demand, meaning that those who are able to take on higher rates will be up against less competition. 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. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.12%, a 22-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

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

Average 30-year mortgage rates started the month low, but they've since ticked up and are now back near their mid-December levels. Once we see more data showing that inflation is slowing, mortgage rates could start to come down as well. 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. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.12% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a 22-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

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

If inflation remains near current levels or looks like it's ticking back up, mortgage rates could climb higher. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.77% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Once the Fed starts lowering its benchmark rate, the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means we might not see mortgage rates fall substantially until the second half of 2024. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Price, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Why oil prices aren’t soaring despite Middle East uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Oil prices spiked last month following US-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to repeated attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. One factor that could be keeping the cap on oil prices is waning demand. “Global oil demand growth is losing momentum,” said the agency in its February report. While global oil demand growth is slowing, supply has stayed relatively strong, potentially putting further downward pressure on oil prices. “Higher global oil supply this year, led by the United States, Brazil, Guyana and Canada, should more than eclipse the expected rise in world oil demand,” said the report.

Persons: Bell, ”, Donald Trump, Matt Egan, —, Trump, Jay Ritter, Read, Anna Bahney, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New, New York CNN, West Texas, Brent, International Energy Agency, “, shuttering, Federal, US, United Arab Emirates, White, Wall, Trump, Truth Social, Trump Media & Technology Group, Securities and Exchange, Trump Media, SEC, University of Florida, Mortgage Bankers Association Locations: New York, Russia, Ukraine, Yemen, Red, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Iraq, United States, Brazil, Guyana, Canada

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week to its highest level in 10 weeks, a setback for prospective homebuyers ahead of the spring homebuying season. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.77% from 6.64% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week, pushing the average rate to 6.12% from 5.90% last week. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.92%. The cost of financing a home has come down from its most recent peak in late October, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage hit 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Organizations: ANGELES, Treasury, Federal Reserve, U.S Locations: U.S

Tuesday's CPI report suggests we may need to wait at least a few more months before we see rates start to fall. 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 is 6.64%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 5.90% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the second week, reaching 6.77%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —After treading water for months, US mortgage rates jumped higher Thursday following a string of strong employment and inflation reports. “On the heels of consumer prices rising more than expected, mortgage rates increased this week,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. The addition of needed inventory and the prospect of lower mortgage rates this year may spur buyers to jump into the market. “This spring, buyers are likely to see lower mortgage rates than in the fall of 2023, which may mean more eager buyers in the market,” Jones said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit, Broeksmit, Jerome Powell, Hanna Jones, who’ve, Lisa Sturtevant, Jones, Alicia Huey, ” Jones Organizations: DC CNN, “, Mortgage Bankers Association, Labor Department, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, ”

This helped push mortgage rates and other consumer rates up. Now, the Fed is expected to start cutting rates this year, which should allow mortgage rates to go down. This means mortgage rates might not come down in time for the spring homebuying season, but they may be lower for summer buyers. 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: January's, Jerome Powell, 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 6.64% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 5.90% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a four-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: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

Low-income mortgage borrowers could get a $2,500 homebuyer credit through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Major mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are temporarily offering a $2,500 credit to very low-income homebuyers to help offset their down payment and closing costs. The Fannie Mae credit is available through the company's HomeReady program, while people can get the Freddie Mac credit through its Home Possible program. Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have tools that let you see the area median income in a given location. How the $2,500 credit worksIf you qualify for this credit, you'll get the $2,500 through your lender, which Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac later reimburses the lender when your loan is sold.

Persons: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, —, Freddie, Fannie Mae's, Freddie Mac's, it's, you'll, Fannie, Eileen Tu, Cyndi Danko, You'll Organizations: Service, Rocket Mortgage, National Council of State, Agencies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just a quarter of business economists and analysts expect the United States to fall into recession this year. But respondents to a National Association of Business Economics survey released Monday still expect year-over-year inflation to exceed 2.5% -- above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target – through 2024. But the economy unexpectedly kept growing and employers kept hiring and resisting layoffs despite higher borrowing costs. The Fed has stopped raising rates and has signaled that it expects to reduce rates three times this year. Another 85% are worried about political instability in the United States before or after the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Persons: –, ’ ’, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac Organizations: WASHINGTON, National Association of Business Economics, Fed Locations: United States, China, U.S, Taiwan

☆ Here's how to create a diversified bond portfolio with up to 6% yield, according to the pros
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But in recent months, many have called for investors to return to bonds as prices are expected to recover soon. Falling yields may prompt investors to wonder which corners of the fixed income market still offer higher yields of up to 6%. He prefers developed market bonds — especially the U.S. — to emerging market bonds, of longer durations exceeding seven years. Emerging market debt can also offer high yield because of the very high real rates in many such economies, Olu-Pitan says, with Latin America debt offering "easily" above 7%. In investment-grade bonds, investors can get above 6% in U.S. financials, she added.

Persons: Brandon Huang, Huang, financials, Remi Olu, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Treasury, LGT Private Banking Asia, CNBC Pro, Agency MBS, U.S ., MBS Locations: U.S, Australia

☆ Spring home buying season is near. Real estate pros say this year's rush could push prices up 5% after a weak 2023.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The housing market will see a stronger, prolonged spring homebuying rush this year, real estate pros say. Buyers and sellers are slowly wading back into the market as mortgage rates edge lower. That's not what economists had originally expected for the housing market this year. "Until we see mortgage rates really improve, we don't expect owners to come back very, very quickly." Affordability conditions have been steadily improving after a bad year for the housing market.

Persons: —, Redfin, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, Skylar Olsen, Olsen, Zillow, " Fairweather, Freddie Mac, That's, –, aren't Organizations: Service, National Association of Realtors Locations: Zillow

In spite of some fluctuations from day to day or week to week, mortgage rates have overall been holding relatively steady since mid-December. 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. 30-year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.63% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 5.94%, a two-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

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

Hot economic data pushed mortgage rates back up at the end of last week, and they've inched even higher this week. Mortgage rates aren't directly impacted by Fed rate changes, but investor expectations of how Fed policy decisions will impact the overall economy can push mortgage rates up or down. 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. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 5.94% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a two-basis-point decrease from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

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

☆ Americans are feeling the most optimistic about the mortgage market since the Fed started hiking rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Aruni Soni | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Fannie Mae survey released Wednesday found that optimism around mortgage rates has hit a two-year high. "Mortgage rate optimism increased markedly again in January, with a survey-high percentage of consumers anticipating mortgage rate declines over the next year," Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae's chief economist, said. The slide arrives as the Fed mulls cutting interest rates in 2024 as inflation continues to decline. A previous report showed that Fannie Mae now expects mortgage rates to dip below 6% this year, a revision of their earlier forecast. According to Fannie Mae, 82% of consumers indicated in January that they are not concerned about losing their job in the next year, up from 75% last month.

Persons: —, Fannie Mae, Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae's, Freddie Mac, it's, Duncan, Fannie Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Business Locations: Fannie Mae's

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