Given that mortgage rates aren't expected to move to much in either direction any time soon, we fully expect the housing market will continue to thrive well into the foreseeable future. |
Given the current economic environment, we anticipate mortgage rates will remain at or near their current consumer-friendly levels at least for the remainder of the year. |
Given the current economy, mortgage rates can only rise so much in a short period of time, |
Going forward, homeowners wanting to use some of the equity in their homes for home improvement or other purposes will make up a larger portion of the refinance business. |
Greenspan led the markets to believe that the Fed's actions would be on hold until there was more than sufficient growth in the economy to warrant a change in monetary policy, ... In other words, there is still enough slack in the economy to leave rates at their current accommodative level for some months to come. |
Greenspan led the markets to believe that the Fed's actions would be on hold until there was more than sufficient growth in the economy to warrant a change in monetary policy. In other words, there is still enough slack in the economy to leave rates at their current accommodative level for some months to come. |
Growing evidence that the economic growth rate is throttling back to sustainable levels is the main reason why mortgage rates softened this past week, |
Growing evidence that the economic growth rate is throttling back to sustainable levels is the main reason why mortgage rates softened this past week. |
Home sales are very sensitive to mortgage rates, |
Housing continued to help fuel the economy this year, accounting for about 20 percent of real GDP growth in the first quarter alone. Further, since the end of March long-term bond yields have fallen by more than a half of a percentage point, allowing interest rates on fixed-rate mortgage to decline as well. Consequently, both new and existing home sales in April reached all-time record highs. |
Housing is poised for another exceptional year. Housing starts rebounded in March owing to record low rates and more seasonal weather, and we expect starts will remain at current levels for at least the next few months. |
Housing start figures in January came in at the highest level in over three decades, due in part to the combination of low rates and a warmer climate across the country. |
However, a broader measure of inflation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), posted a less-than-expected rise in inflation, causing bond yields to fall. This means that next week's survey results may retreat to prior levels of a week or two ago. |
However, as mortgage rates begin to trend upward we expect the rate of house price appreciation to begin to slow to perhaps seven or eight percent nationally this year. |
However, many other indicators remain strong and this we think will lead the Federal Open Market Committee to raise short-term rates another quarter point to a target of 2-1/4 percent, putting upward pressure on frequently adjusting ARMs. |