Are you thinking about buying a home in the near future? Do you need a mortgage loan to finance your purchase? Here's a trend you should know about. This week, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan rose to its highest level since 2013. This is based on the weekly industry survey conducted by Freddie Mac.
Mortgage Rates Hit 4-Year High in April 2018
On April 26, 2018, Freddie Mac published the latest results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). This survey has been running for decades, and it gives us good insight into various trends. The company describes it as "the foremost reliable, representative source of regional and national mortgage rate trends."
Here are the results of the survey for the week of April 26, 2018:
• 30-year fixed mortgage loans had an average rate of 4.58%.
• 15-year fixed mortgage loans had an average rate of 4.02%.
• 5/1 adjustable (ARM) loans had an average rate of 3.74%.
Here's what is truly noteworthy about these latest indicators. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage (the most popular loan product used by home buyers) just hit its highest level in years. To date, the average rate for a 30-year home loan hasn't been this high since August 2013.
As Freddie Mac officials reported in their April 26 report:
"Mortgage rates increased for the third consecutive week, climbing 11 basis points to 4.58 percent. Rates are now at their highest level since the week of August 22, 2013. Higher Treasury yields, driven by rising commodity prices, more Treasury issuances and the steady stream of solid economic news, are behind the uptick in rates over the past week."
Buying a Home Now Versus Later
Granted, the interest rates that are actually assigned to home loans can vary from one borrower to the next, and for a number of reasons. Loan type, credit scores, and discount points all play a role. The numbers above are merely averages across all of the surveyed lenders.
It's the overall trend here that's most important. And the trend is that average mortgage rates have shot up quite a bit over the last few months.
Home prices, meanwhile, continue to rise in most cities across the country. According to the real estate information company Zillow, the nationwide median home value rose by around 8% over the last year (as of April 2018). And while prices have slowed a down a bit in many areas, they are expected to continue moving north over the coming months -- and into 2019.
These are important trends for home buyers, particularly those who need mortgage financing to complete their purchases. Rising rates can chip away at your buying power, as can rising home values. So those who are planning to buy a home in 2018 might want to consider purchasing sooner rather than later.
Disclaimer: This article includes data, trends and forecasts relating to the housing industry nationwide. This information was provided by third-party sources outside of our company. The information above is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Mortgage Rates Keep Climbing, According to Industry Survey
Should I buy a home now, or wait until later in the year? Will I pay more if I postpone my purchase?
These are perennial questions from home buyers nationwide. And a recent upsurge in mortgage rates has some buyers rushing to close on their loans, out of concern that rates could keep rising in the weeks ahead.
On March 8, 2018, Freddie Mac reported the results of its latest survey of the mortgage industry. This long-running survey goes out to more than a hundred lenders across the country, every week. Freddie Mac's research team then compiles the results into a weekly mortgage rate average that gives us some useful insight into industrywide trends.
Rates Climb to Highest Level Since 2014
According to the latest report, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan rose to 4.46%, for the week ending on March 9, 2018. That percentage is significant for two reasons:
1. It marks nine straight weeks of rising loan rates. So it's a trend -- not a fluke.
2. It's also the highest average for 30-year mortgage rates since January of 2014.
According to Freddie Mac:
"The 10-year Treasury yield has been bouncing around in a narrow 15 basis point range for the last month. While the yield on the 10-year Treasury is currently below the high of 2.95 percent reached two weeks ago, mortgage rates are up for the ninth consecutive week. The U.S. weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose 3 basis points to 4.46 percent in this week's survey, its highest level since January 2014."
It bears repeating: Mortgage rates haven't been this high since the start of 2014. And it all happened over the last few weeks.
Average rates rose for other commonly used products as well, and that includes the 15-year fixed-rate home loan and the 5/1 adjustable mortgage (ARM).
Still, the Housing Market Marches On
But the recent spike in rates might not last long. Economists from Freddie Mac said they "anticipate rate increases will be gradual [throughout 2018], allowing housing market activity to maintain momentum." In other words, they don't expect the recent upward trend to put a damper on home-buying activity in the U.S.
Home Prices Still Rising in Most Cities
Meanwhile, home prices continue to rise in most parts of the country. And this too has added a sense of urgency to the housing market, particularly among home buyers who are eyeing a purchase in the near future.
In many cities across the U.S., real estate markets are experiencing a shortage of homes for sale. This comes at a time when demand for housing is either steady or rising in most markets. This supply-and-demand imbalance is putting upward pressure on home prices, as evidenced by the 6% to 7% increase in U.S. home values over the last year.
What does the future hold? No one can say for certain. But recent trends within the housing and mortgage industry seem to make a strong case for buying a home sooner rather than later. Buyers who postpone their purchases until later in 2018 could encounter higher housing costs.
Heads Up Home Buyers: Mortgage Rates Just Took a Big Jump
Are you thinking about buying a home in 2018? Are you on the fence about entering the real estate market? If so, you might want to consider buying sooner rather than later. Mortgage rates just rose again, and economists from Freddie Mac and other groups are predicting that they could rise gradually throughout 2018.
Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Level Since December 2016
During the week of February 8, 2018, the average rate for a 30-year fixed home loan rose to 4.32%. Rates haven't been that high since December 2016. This is based on the weekly mortgage industry survey conducted by Freddie Mac. The average rates for 15-year fixed mortgages and 5/1 ARM loans rose as well. Those are the three categories tracked by this survey.
According to the Freddie Mac report:
"The U.S. weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rocketed up 10 basis points to 4.32 percent this week. Following a turbulent Monday, financial markets settled down with the 10-year Treasury yield resuming its upward march. Mortgage rates have followed. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is up 33 basis points since the start of the year."
This is actually the continuation of a trend that began a few weeks ago. For a while now, mortgage rates have been following a steady upward path. During the latter half of 2017, and into the beginning of 2018, the average rate for a 30-year mortgage hovered below 4%. Then it crossed that threshold and shot up by 25 basis points (0.25%), which brings us up to the latest reading.
Chart: 30-Year Loan Rates Over the Last Year
The average rates for a 30-year fixed home loan going back one year are higher now than they've been all year. (4.17% February 9, 2017 vs. 4.32% February 8, 2018)
This is not surprising to industry watchers and analysts. Last year, economists from the Mortgage Bankers Association and Freddie Mac were predicting that rates would rise gradually throughout 2018. Some forecasts suggested that the average rate for a 30-year mortgage would reach 5% by the end of this year. And that's entirely plausible, given this recent uptick in lending rates.
So what's causing this recent rise in borrowing costs? Several things. Over the last year, the Federal Reserve has been gradually increasing the short-term federal funds rate. This can have an indirect affect on consumer borrowing costs. The Fed's policy changes, along with general economic improvements, are partly what's driving the rise in interest rates -- including those used for mortgage loans.
And some economists are predicting that we will see a continued yet gradual rise in rates throughout 2018.
All of this makes a good argument for buying a home sooner rather than later. Home buyers who postpone their purchases until later in the year could encounter higher mortgage rates. And when you consider the fact that home prices are still rising in most parts of the country, there's even more urgency.
Granted, you should never make a home purchase until you are 100% ready to do so, financially and emotionally. It has to be the right move for you, one that will improve your qualify of life in some way. With that being said, it might make sense to buy sooner rather than later to avoid possible rate hikes and home-price increases.
Note: Mortgage rates can vary from one borrower to the next due to a number of factors, including credit history and the type of loan being used. The numbers presented above are based on averages reported by Freddie Mac.