28 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 28, 2022

Financial Reports
Last week’s economic reporting included readings on home prices from S&P Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency; data on pending home sales and sales of new homes were also released. The University of Michigan released its final February reading on consumer sentiment and weekly reports on average mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices: Home Price Growth Expected to Slow in 2022 December readings from S&P Case Shiller suggested a slowing pace of home price growth in 2022 but analysts said that home prices are not expected to decrease. Case-Shiller’s National Home Price Index showed an 18.80 percent increase in home prices year-over-year. S&P…
Read More
25 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

How Can You Secure A Better Interest Rate When Refinancing Your Home Loan?

Mortgage
If you want to save money on your home loan, you may want to consider refinancing. During the refinancing process, you will replace your existing home loan with a new one; however, you want to secure the lowest interest rate possible. How can you get a better rate on your mortgage during the refinancing process?  Consider Refinancing Your Home Loan To A Shorter Term If you can create less risk for the lender, you can get a lower interest rate. One of the ways to do so is to refinance your home loan to a shorter term. If the average interest rate has gone down, you might be able to keep…
Read More
24 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

S&P Case-Shiller Indices: December Home Price Growth Hits Record High

Financial Reports
While U.S. home prices grew at record speed in December, rising mortgage rates threatened rapid price appreciation as buyers were sidelined by affordability concerns. S&P Case-Shiller’s National Home Price Index reported 18.80 percent year-over-year home price growth in December. The 20-City Home Price Index posted a year-over-year gain of 18.60 percent as compared to November’s year-over-year home price gain of 18.30 percent. Home prices rose by 1.50 percent from November to December 2020. Phoenix, Arizona held on to first place in the 20-City Index with year-over-year home price growth of 32.50 percent; Tampa, Florida held second place with 29.40 percent year-over-year home price growth. The Miami, Florida metro area held third…
Read More
23 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

Everything Homeowners Need To Know About Down Payments

Mortgage
Buying a house is an exciting time, but homeowners also need to make the best financial decision to meet their needs. One of the biggest decisions potential homeowners will face is how much money to put down. A down payment is the amount of money that homeowners pay upfront when they purchase a home. Many homeowners believe they need to put down 20 percent; however, this is not always the case. What do homeowners need to know about putting a down payment on a house?  20 Percent Is Not Always Required The reason why homeowners often believe they need to put down 20 percent is that lenders will often require a…
Read More
22 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 22, 2022

Financial Reports
Last week’s economic reporting included readings from the National Association of Home Builders on housing markets, reports on sales of previously owned homes, housing starts, and building permits issued. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. NAHB: Rising Materials Costs, Supply Chain Problems Weigh on Builders The National Association of Home Builders’ February housing market index reading was 82 and one point lower than in January. This was the second consecutive month that builder confidence dropped by one point. Homebuilder confidence in housing market conditions remained relatively high as any index reading over 50 indicates that most builders are confident about market conditions. Short supplies of available…
Read More
18 Feb 2022
By Mortgage Blog Content

3 Reasons You Might Decide to Retire to a Tiny Home – and Why You’ll Love It!

Homeowner Tips
Many people romanticize the idea of paying off their home mortgage early so they can enjoy their home in retirement, but when it comes to the later years of life, a big house can actually be too much to handle. If you've started to consider a smaller home and are wondering why it might be a good decision for you and yours, here are a few things you may want to consider. It's Much Easier To Maintain It is often the idea of the palatial estate with a pool that homeowners get excited about, but when it comes to reality, the larger the home, the harder it is going to be…
Read More