interest rates

Black Friday is behind us and holiday gifts are flying off the shelves in stores and online. Unlike last year, however, there’s another type of buyer that is very active this winter – the homebuyer. Each month, ShowingTime releases their Showing Index, which tracks the average number of appointments received on active U.S. house listings. […]

Over the past year, mortgage rates have fallen more than a full percentage point. This is a great driver for homeownership, as today’s low rates provide consumers with some significant benefits. Here’s a look at three of them: Refinance: If you already own a home, you may want to decide if you’re going to refinance. […]

Some Highlights: With interest rates around 3.66%, now is a great time to look back at where they’ve been over the past few decades. Comparatively, they’re pretty low! According to Freddie Mac , rates are projected to increase to 3.9% by this time next year. The impact your interest rate has on your monthly mortgage payment is significant. An increase of just $20 dollars in your monthly payment can add up to $240 per year and $7,200 over the life of your loan. Maybe it’s time to lock in now, while rates are still historically low.  

The economy is currently experiencing the longest recovery in our nation’s history. The stock market has hit record highs, while unemployment rates are at record lows. Home price appreciation is beginning to reaccelerate. This begs the question: How long can this economic recovery last? The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Survey of Economists recently called for […]

Some are afraid the real estate market may be looking a lot like it did prior to the housing crash in 2008. One of the factors they’re pointing at is the availability of mortgage money. Recent articles about the availability of low-down payment loans and down payment assistance programs are causing concern that we’re returning […]

Some Highlights: The Veterans Administration (VA) Home Loan is a benefit that is available to more than 22 million veterans and 2 million active duty service members to help them achieve the dream of homeownership. In 2018, $161 billion was loaned to veterans and their families through the program. In the same year, the average loan amount was $264,197 and 610,513 loans were guaranteed.