Is it the end of low, low rates?
March 18th, 2021...
I don't know if you watch the financial news as closely as I do. If you're paying attention at all, it's impossible to miss headlines or talking heads saying alarming things about bonds and rates.
As always, I'm most concerned with how these things affect real people in my life - people like you.
It's true that we've enjoyed incredibly low rates for several years. This has meant that many people could qualify for or more comfortably afford higher-priced homes. It has also meant that the demand for housing has risen, and along with that the prices have gone up, too.
To put all of this in perspective, we are currently at some of the lowest rates in mortgage history. Since Freddie Mac began tracking the 30-year fixed rate in 1971, rates have ranged from the mid-7%s to as high as 17.6% in February of 1982, and mostly 5-8% for the last couple of decades. Source: Freddie Mac.
We're certainly in a time of rapid shifts and uncertainty in the financial markets.
According to Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting: "Expectations of faster economic growth and inflation continue to push Treasury yields and mortgage rates higher. Since hitting a survey low in December, the 30-year fixed rate has slowly risen, and last week climbed to its highest level since November 2020."
If the last 12 months have taught us anything, we can expect the unexpected!
What's important for you to know right now is that I'm paying close attention to the markets.
Historically speaking, we are still enjoying some of the lowest rates ever. If you're considering a big move such as a new home purchase, second or vacation real estate, or investment properties, it could very well be a great time to take the step. The best way to know for sure is to get in touch with me so that we can assess your individual facts, qualifications, and needs.
I'm your friend in the home lending business and I invite you to drop me a quick email or phone call with your questions so that we can help you make the best decisions - with confidence!
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