9th Time This Year for Record Low Mortgage Rates
Freddie Mac announced another round of record-low mortgage rates. This will be the ninth record low since March 2020. The first full week of September saw a 2.86% drop in the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and a 2.37% drop on a 15-year fixed-rate.
“Mortgage rates have hit another record low due to a late-summer slowdown in the economic recovery,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.
Home sales remain very strong according to Joel Kan, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s associate vice president of economic industry and forecasting. Both the loan size and applications for new mortgages rose. For the week ending on September 4, applications were up 3% and the average loan size was the highest amount since the Mortgage Bankers Association began recording at $368,600.
“Homebuyers continue placing offers on homes, pushing existing inventory toward historic lows,” said George Ratiu, Realtor.com’s senior economist. “Would-be sellers are stuck in their homes, struggling to find their next house amid a dearth of supply, further contributing to the decline in inventory.”
The limited supply of homes for sale is driving the price higher. Home prices are 11% higher than they were a year ago. Homebuyers have to purchase less home at a higher price.
Refinancing for homeowners has also been on the rise. The record-low interest rates makes it more affordable for homeowners who would like to refinance.
Black Knight, a mortgage data company, says there are approximately 19.3 million high-quality refinance candidates. This number includes 43% of all 30-year mortgage holders, making this the largest group of this kind there has ever been.
Whether you are looking for your first home, a new home or refinancing your current home, now is the time. The mortgage rates are very low and FHFA also announced Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will exempt refinance loans with balances under $125,000 from the fee. The housing market is the strongest we have seen in a long time and only proves to make a great investment for the future.
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