Mortgage markets improved last week as news from the Federal Reserve, the U.S. economy, and Europe combined to spur new demand for mortgage-backed bonds. Continue reading
What Mortgage Rates Are Doing This Week : January 30, 2012
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Tag Archives: lower interest rate
Will Home Values Rise in 2012?
The housing economy has suffered since 2007, knocking home values down nearly 20% nationwide. Here in Sacramento, the hit has been much larger (30% to 50%). And while some areas have fared better as compared to others, in general, home values are down. Continue reading
Mortgage Payments Fall 12% Since February 2011
This is for my good friend Mark! We were at a year-end get-together (aka Drinking beer at the pub) with my rowing crew and he kept reminding me that rates are dropping. Thank you Mark! As mortgage rates drop, so do housing payments. It’s a good time to consider refinancing your home, or making an offer on a new one. Mortgage payment affordability has never been so high in history. Continue reading
Where do mortgage rates come from?
Click here for video presentation!
Mortgage rates fluctuate daily – sometimes even multiple times a day. Have you ever wondered where those rates come from?
The answer lies on Wall Street – specifically the trading of Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS). MBS trading can result in a dramatically higher or lower payment when you are ready to lock in your rate. Unfortunately, the indicators needed to see these real-time MBS trading feeds, are not readily available to the public. The big question is – are they keeping track of rates in real-time and making you aware of sudden changes in the market? Continue reading
Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers
Well, if you are a first-time home buyer and you don’t mind filling out a few extra forms, this tax credit can save you thousands. It’s a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) issued by certain state and local governments that allows a taxpayer to claim a credit for a portion of the mortgage interest paid during a given year.
Let’s talk about the difference between a “tax credit” and a “tax deduction”. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar savings that lowers your total federal income tax liability by the value of the credit. Whereas, a tax deduction only reduces a percentage of the amount deducted. We are talking quarters versus dollars here. Tax credits can be more valuable than deductions, although somewhat more difficult to qualify for. Continue reading