Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images Mortgage rates moved ever so slightly higher last week, but it was enough to take a little heat out of what had been a briefly red-hot refinance market. That caused total mortgage application volume to fall 1.3% for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. … Read more
A steady decline in mortgage rates to two-year lows has current homeowners rushing to take advantage of potential savings. Applications to refinance a home loan surged 20% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Demand was a stunning 175% higher than the same week one year … Read more
The Liberal government’s latest efforts to make it easier for young Canadians to buy a home will also help fix the housing supply crunch, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland argued Tuesday. The deputy prime minister spoke to reporters about last week’s announcement that Ottawa would make 30-year mortgage amortizations available on all new builds and for … Read more
The Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by a half percentage point, or 50 basis points, on Wednesday, its first rate cut since March 2020. Even before the Fed rate cut, some homeowners had already taken advantage of recent declines in mortgage rates to refinance. Refinance activity increased to 46.7% of total applications during the week … Read more
Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Reserve announced a half percentage point, or 50 basis points, interest rate cut at the end of its two-day meeting Wednesday. And, naturally, some Americans will want to make the most of the central bank’s first rate cut since the early days of the Covid pandemic. … Read more
Sales of previously owned homes fell 2.5% in August from July, to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 3.86 million units, according to the National Association of Realtors. That is slightly lower than what analysts expected. Sales were 4.2% lower than August 2023. It marks three straight months of sales below the 4 million mark, … Read more
Andresr | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Reserve is poised to make its first interest rate cut in years on Wednesday. But homeowners shouldn’t bet on the move as an opportunity to immediately refinance their mortgage. That’s because “a lot of these rate cuts are already priced in,” Chen Zhao, the economic research lead … Read more
A home with a “Sold” sign from a real estate company in North Patchogue, New York. Steve Pfost | Newsday | Getty Images Mortgage rates came down again last week, and with the expectation that they could fall further, mortgage demand suddenly jumped, especially for refinancing. The Federal Reserve is expected to make its first … Read more
The Liberal government on Monday announced proposed changes to the Canadian mortgage market, expanding the availability of 30-year amortizations and raising the cap on insured mortgage products. First-time homebuyers, as well as those purchasing new builds, will soon be able to take out insured mortgages with a 30-year amortization, up from the typical 25-year payback … Read more
LARKSPUR, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: A sign is posted in front of a home for sale on November 30, 2023 in Larkspur, California. According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales fell 1.5 percent in October to their lowest level in 20 years. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Justin Sullivan … Read more
