Mortgage Rates Level-Off After Rising For 3 Days

By: Matthew Graham •

Mortgage rates held steady today, after moving higher for the past 3 days.  Underlying market movement was slightly calmer than it has been in recent days.  Stocks were less eager to make new highs and bond yields (a key consideration for mortgage rates) actually moved slightly lower.  Taken together, this could be a sign that this week's small spike in mortgage rates may have run its course.

On the other hand, the battlefield of market-related decision making is riddled with casualties from those who've jumped to such conclusions too early.  In other words, we can see some potentially promising developments in for rates when it comes to the way markets traded today, but it's too soon to plan on rates falling back to recent lows just yet.  


Loan Originator Perspective

 See Rates from Lenders in Your Area

A decent treasury auction and dovish Fed minutes calmed bond markets today, and they hovered near unchanged.   Holding treasury yields near 2.71% is certainly a plus, but who knows where we go from here.  With rates still near recent lows, I'm locking applications closing within 30 days.   -Ted Rood, Senior Originator


Today's Most Prevalent Rates

  • 30YR FIXED - 4.5%
  • FHA/VA - 4.25%
  • 15 YEAR FIXED - 4.125%
  • 5 YEAR ARMS -  4.25%-4.625% depending on the lender


Ongoing Lock/Float Considerations 

  • Headwinds that had plagued rates for most of the past 2 years are slowly dying down.  The rising rate environment could flare up again, and some headwinds remain in effect, but the broader tone has taken a more optimistic shift.

  • Highest rates in more than 7 years in Oct/Nov.  Lowest rates 8 months by the end of the year.

  • This is a bit of a crossroads.  We may look back at Oct/Nov and see a long-term ceiling, or we may look back at early December and see a temporary correction before more pain.  Either way, it's one of the more hopeful positions we've been in for several years.
  • 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.