Mortgage Rates Trying to Stop The Bleeding

By: Matthew Graham •

Mortgage rates were mostly able to hold steady today, although they technically moved just a bit higher and that technically leaves them at the highest levels in 7 years.  But hey!  Let's focus on the positives... In terms of day-over-day changes, today was the best day of the week so far!

To get an idea of where we are and why we're there, check out the last two days of commentary--always easily accessible here. 

As for today, it stands at least some chance to serve as the early stage of a ceiling for rates.  Whether that proves to be true and how long such a ceiling lasts remains to be seen.  In any event, next week's Fed announcement (Wednesday) has the greatest potential to kick off the next set of bigger moves.  If volatility dies down between now and then, it would at least be better than what we've seen in the past few weeks.

 See Rates from Lenders in Your Area


Loan Originator Perspective

Bond markets hovered near unchanged today, which would be encouraging if we weren't sitting at the highest rates since 2013-14.  When "not losing ground" is a moral victory, you know the trend is not your friend.  I'm still locking new loans closing within 60 days, for all but the most risk-craving clients.-Ted Rood, Senior Originator


Today's Most Prevalent Rates

  • 30YR FIXED - 4.75-4.875%
  • FHA/VA - 4.5%
  • 15 YEAR FIXED - 4.25%-4.375
  • 5 YEAR ARMS -  3.75-4.25% depending on the lender


Ongoing Lock/Float Considerations 

  • Rates moved higher in a serious way due to several big-picture headwinds, including: the Fed's rate hike outlook (and general policy tightening), the increased amount of Treasury issuance to pay for the tax bill (higher bond issuance = higher rates), and the possibility that fiscal stimulus results in higher growth/inflation.

  • Rates cooled off heading in the summer months, but that proved to be the eye of an ongoing storm.  As long as economic data remains strong, rates can continue to move higher in general, even though there may be brief periods of correction.

  • It makes sense to remain defensive (i.e. generally more lock-biased) because the headwinds mentioned above won't die down quickly.  It will take a big change in economic fundamentals or geopolitical risk for the big picture to change.  
  • Rates discussed refer to the most frequently-quoted, conforming, conventional 30yr fixed rate for top tier borrowers among average to well-priced lenders.  The rates generally assume little-to-no origination or discount except as noted when applicable.  Rates appearing on this page are "effective rates" that take day-to-day changes in upfront costs into consideration.