Personal Finance Blog By MoneyRates - Mortgage
Fate of Adjustable Rate Mortgages Shows a Lesson Learned
August 26, 2009
One of the interesting details about the weeklymortgage data released by the Mortgage Bankers Associaton is the breakdown of the data into different types of mortgage activity. For example, mortgage application activity was up overall this week, but it was led by refinance activity. This suggests that most people taking advantage of low interest rates [...]
Low Mortgage Rates Spark Uptick in Mortgage Applications
August 19, 2009
Mortgage applications surged last week, as mortgage rates fell to their lowest levels since early July. This is good news for the housing market, but it raises a couple of questions: With mortgage rates generally low, are people really holding out for week-to-week dips in the mortgage rate? What will happen when measures to stimulate the housing [...]
Mortgage Rates Hold the Line -- For Now
August 10, 2009
Somewhat surprisingly, mortgage rates held the line and even declined slightly last week, despite a steep rise in bond market interest rates. Mortgages and bonds have some characteristics in common -- they are long-term, interest-based commitments -- and thus tend to respond to the same market forces. Those forces include demand for capital and inflation. With [...]
Access To New Mortgage Plans Not For Everyone
March 10, 2009
I was listening to the radio and the guest being interviewed was a widely quoted financial guru. A caller said he had a home, was making his payments and had about 25 percent equity. His question was this: Could he get help under the latest mortgage assistance plans from the federal government. Much to my amazement -- [...]
