The Standard 30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage still hovers above 7%. With the Federal Reserve's ongoing debates about whether to maintain the 5.25% Fed Funds Rate or raise it another 0.25% at their upcoming meeting, prospective homebuyers and current homeowners are faced with some tough decisions. ... » Learn More about Mortgage Rates Still Over 7%, the Fed, and Housing Affordability
Mortgage Rates
Key Interest Rates, Mortgages, and the Federal Reserve’s Ongoing Actions
As the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic, the Federal Reserve is taking measures to address inflation and manage economic momentum. With expectations of another 0.25% increase in the Fed Funds Rate, we are witnessing a gradual shift away from the 0% rate of April 2022. In ... » Learn More about Key Interest Rates, Mortgages, and the Federal Reserve’s Ongoing Actions
Rate Rollercoaster: Insights into the Last 10 Years of Mortgage Rates
What a past decade... Society and interest rates have been on a roller coaster. The primary gyrations were caused by a pandemic, the economic effects, and the Federal Reserve's reactions. Back in the 2013-2019 period, we were in a generally "normal" economic environment, having come out of the ... » Learn More about Rate Rollercoaster: Insights into the Last 10 Years of Mortgage Rates
Revamped Mortgage Pricing: Favoring Risky Borrowers, Penalizing the Creditworthy
When the 'Ability To Repay' portion of the Dodd Frank regulations was written, the focus was to ensure the solidity of mortgages and the secondary mortgage market, and to provide loans to qualified borrowers. The current political emphasis is on reducing costs and lowering rates for borrowers with ... » Learn More about Revamped Mortgage Pricing: Favoring Risky Borrowers, Penalizing the Creditworthy
How Some Banks Fail, and Some Grow
There have always been bank failures. Some are poorly managed, some too heavily exposed to a volatile commodity, and some are just nailed by the economy with inadequate reserves to weather the storm. There are still 4,000+ commercial banks in the United States, but this diagram shows how over the ... » Learn More about How Some Banks Fail, and Some Grow