With home prices skyrocketing, any rise in rates knocks even more potential buyers out of the running, and yet somehow the housing market is more competitive than ever, according to CNBC. The rate is the same now as it was a year ago. The difference from a year ago, however, …
Read More »Mortgage rates hit new high since last July
According to National Mortgage News, the mortgage rate increases noticeably stifled recent borrower applications, but further growth should slacken right as the typical prime home buying season starts, said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “While activity remains high, it’s currently on par with early March, prior to the pandemic,” …
Read More »Market Extra: 5 reasons why negative repo rates are different than the last overnight-funding crisis
It was a big deal in September 2019 when overnight-lending “repo” rates suddenly spiked as high as 9%, raising concerns on Wall Street and at the Federal Reserve to step in to avoid a potential crisis in a key financing cog of global finance. Now, some 17 months later, pretty …
Read More »Personal Finance Daily: Americans scroll Amazon and Walmart for bargains — yet choose pricey healthcare services and throw away hundreds of dollars, and Texas AG sues energy provider over ‘sky-high’ rates after massive winter storm
Hi there, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories: Personal Finance Americans scroll Amazon and Walmart for bargains — yet choose pricey healthcare services and throw away hundreds of dollars New hospital-price transparency rules took effect earlier this year, but patient advocates say those rules only do so much. ‘We need …
Read More »Optimism as mortgage rates rise
The average mortgage rate hasn’t risen this high since the end of July 2020. Higher rates signal an economy that’s slowly regaining its footing, noted Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, reported by HousingWire. Rising rates certainly didn’t slow new home sales in January. The U.S. census bureau reported sales …
Read More »Personal Finance Daily: Mortgage rates soar to the highest level in nearly six months and 6 million people aren’t eligible for a COVID-19 pause on student-debt payments
Hi there, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories: Personal Finance ‘I will continue happily shopping there forever’: Costco customers react to retailer’s new $ 16 minimum wage Some 180,000 U.S.-based Costco employees will begin earning $ 16 an hour starting next week, the warehouse retailer’s CEO announced Thursday. We put …
Read More »Mortgage rates spike, but there’s no reason to panic
Now that things are starting to look brighter, rates are rising to places they haven’t been in months. They’re being pushed up by optimism over vaccinations and the relief bill working its way through Congress – and by fears that an improving economy will spark inflation. Zillow economist Matthew Speakman …
Read More »Rates adjust to new Administration
“After months of barely budging, mortgage rates rose significantly in early January at their strongest pace since the spring,” said Matthew Speakman, a Zillow economist. “But that upward momentum has since dissipated, and it appears that fears of an extended, more substantial spike in rates have diminished — at least …
Read More »Mortgage rates hit another low, Congress ironing out stimulus deal
The dips keep on coming. This week’s Freddie Mac average on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 2.67%, another historic low. Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist Sam Khater was optimistic in this week’s release, saying “Homebuyer sentiment is sanguine and purchase demand shows no real signs of waning at all heading …
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