New Employment Numbers has Negative Impact on Mortgage Rates

New Employment Numbers has Negative Impact on Mortgage Rates

The recent good news for the job market had a less than desired effect on mortgage rates. Thanks to signs of an improvement in the economy the recent reports stating more people are back to work had an almost immediate impact on trading in the stock market. For years economists have pointed out the inverse relation between home mortgage rates and the general health of the economy. Usually, when investors are worried about risk, they will avoid the stock market and invest more money in to bonds and mortgage backed securities. This flow of cash makes the rates drive lower. However, when times are good and investors rush to the stock market, the opposite effect is felt.

But the Sky is Not Falling

However, this does not mean that any improvement in the stock market will automatically push mortgage rates up. And it also does not mean that the mortgage rates will move dramatically one way or the other. For example, back in the year 2007 the average 30 fixed rate hovered between 6.325% and 6.625%. Now, for the past 3 months, the average rate has moved between 4.345% and 3.875%. This shows roughly a 2% change in rates over the course of 5 years. Mortgage rates do move with the ebb and flow of the economy, but it is rare to see drastic jumps or drops.

What Does this Mean for Homeowners and Potential Homebuyers?

If the economy continues to slowly improve, this means that we may indeed have seen the lowest rates ever. Homeowners that have been wavering between refinancing and hoping for a slightly better rate would be well advised to lock in a rate suitable for their needs.

At the same time, potential homebuyers who are wondering if rates could possibly get any lower may wish to go ahead and put out a contract on a home. Locking in a good rate now for 30 or 60 days could provide a small cushion against any small uptick that will likely come in the next few weeks.

Locking in a Loan

Fortunately, the costs for doing a mortgage loan are still relatively low. Combined with the modest amount to lock in a loan, this is a great time to secure a solid rate. Most lenders are seeing quite a bit of pressure to keep the costs down so it is highly unlikely that the expense of ate locking will jump any time soon. Keep in mind that the current rates are around 3.875%. Rates cannot go to zero because that would mean the lenders are not making any money. Sooner or later, rates will go back up. How high will they go? That is the proverbial “big question” that no one really has an answer for at the moment. Better to get in on the low rates while you can rather than kicking yourself for waiting and missing out.

Original Post - Mortgage Rates Rise on new Employment Numbers

WHEDA Home Loan Mortgage Rates at Historic Low

I receive daily updates on current mortgage rates in the Janesville Wisconsin area. One of those rates is for the WHEDA Home Loan. Todays mortgage rate showed a new historic low at 4.75%. These rates of course can and do change often so you will want to check with your bank to get the most up to the minute information. To give you an idea of how low this mortgage rate really is, consider this scenario. If you were to purchase a Janesville WI foreclosure property for $75,000 at a 4.75% mortgage rate, your mortgage payment with interest would be only $391. Say you purchased a Janesville WI short sale at $150,000 your monthly mortgage payment would be a reasonable $782. This is assuming no down payment.

If you are looking to purchase a bank owned/foreclosure/REO property, short sale or standard listing in Janesville WI, I would be happy to help assist you. I’ve listed details from one of the WHEDA loan programs below. Please refer to the WHEDA website for the most current home loan details.

Michael Collins, SFR
Short Sales & Foreclosure Resource
Janesville, WI

Are you a first-time buyer? Do you want an affordable home loan with a fixed rate and 100% financing? If so, then you are in luck. Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) has partnered up with Fannie Mae to bring affordable housing to qualified first-time buyers. You can find a link to WHEDA’s site on Rock Realty’s home page. Here are the features you will find on their site:

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Low cost, 30-year fixed interest rate – Ensures the rate on your mortgagewill never increase





• $1,000 minimum borrower down payment – Reduces the cash you need to close your loan





• Reduced mortgage fees – Your mortgage will cost less thanks to the elimination of fees commonly found with other traditional loan products





• If you involuntarily lose your job during the first two years of your mortgage, WHEDA’s job loss mortgage payment protection will cover up to six months of payments.

There are eligibility guidelines as well as income and purchase price limits to this program. You can find them on WHEDA’s site too. Buyers are required to take a home buyers seminar and pass the WHEDA pre-approval. These are good things. You should be educated on owning a home and the pre-approval verifies your ablility to own a home long term.

Rock Realty offers home buyers a 1 percent credit at closing. Follow the below link for further details!
Home Buyer Discounts

This communication is provided to you for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon by you. Rock Realty is not a mortgage lender and so you should contact WHEDA directly to learn more about its mortgage products and your eligibility for such products.