Tag Archives: Mortgage Rates

While the newly revised Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) includes several provisions aimed at widening the program's reach, Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Johnny Isakson of Georgia are asking the Obama administration to broaden the program even more by opening it up to homeowners with higher equity in their homes. Currently, the revised program is aimed at helping those with less than 20 percent equity. Lawmakers say nearly 12 million more borrowers would benefit if there were no equity restraints.

The nation's second largest mortgage company is asking the U.S. Treasury for another $6 billion in capital support after posting its largest quarterly loss in over a year. Freddie Mac says it recorded a net loss of $4.4 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, after shouldering a $4.8 billion loss on derivatives and a $3.6 billion provision for credit losses related to high levels of mortgage refinancing and lower mortgage insurance recoveries. The GSE's REO operations expense skyrocketed to $221 million in the third quarter, compared to $27 million for the second quarter.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said at a press conference Wednesday that ""ongoing drags from troubled housing conditions and still tight credit"" have led Fed officials to downgrade their forecasts for short-term economic growth. Bernanke quite frankly told reporters that problems in the housing sector are a big reason why our economy is not recovering more quickly. Despite the diminished outlook and Bernanke's repeated references to the depressed housing market, the Federal Reserve announced no new policy actions.

The administration unveiled its revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) last week to allow borrowers who owe significantly more than their home is worth take out new loans with lower interest rates. CoreLogic says the impact will be targeted to those markets and local economies that have suffered the most from the housing collapse. The company believes HARP 2.0 will be positive for the GSEs and the origination market, negative for bondholders, and neutral for housing itself because distressed borrowers and shadow inventory are left out of the equation.

Long-term, fixed-rate mortgages are often seen as a safe loan product, but one Federal Reserve economist says adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are not as risky as some perceive them to be and did not play a major role in the recent housing crisis. To those who believe payment shocks caused by ARMs were a major player in the foreclosure crisis, Paul Willen, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, says, the ""data refute that theory."" He says those with ARMs were almost as likely to have seen a payment reduction as a payment increase.

The industry's four largest mortgage servicers all say they will be taking part in the revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo have each expressed their support of the program and the changes that will allow more underwater homeowners to refinance. Government officials expect the program's revisions to expand its reach and increase competition for mortgage refinancing, with an estimated 1 million homeowners to receive assistance under the new guidelines.

Fixed mortgage rates showed little change for the second consecutive week amid mixed consumer confidence and housing data, and remain near their 60-year lows. Freddie Mac puts the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage at 4.10 percent for the week ending October 27, and the 15-year rate at 3.38 percent. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) exhibited slightly wider swings.

It's official. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has unveiled a new, revamped government mortgage refinancing program. The initiative involves a series of rule changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to allow more underwater homeowners to reduce their mortgage debt by taking advantage of today's rock-bottom interest rates. Under the revised HARP guidelines, the 125 percent loan-to-value (LTV) ceiling has been removed, and risk-based fees have been adjusted.

Average mortgage rates were relatively unchanged this week amid mixed economic and consumer sentiment reports, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable mortgage rates were mixed while fixed mortgage rates held steady remaining near their 60-year lows. The GSE's study puts the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 4.11 percent, down slightly from 4.12 percent last week. The 15-year fixed rate rose one basis point to 3.38 percent.

While the homeownership rate falls, rental demand rises bringing rental rates up and apartment vacancies down -- all of which has led Freddie Mac's chief economist to label the multifamily sector a positive signal for the U.S. housing industry. Frank Nothaft says improvement in the economics of apartment management has prompted an increase in structure values, property sales, and new construction. He notes that many newly-formed households are choosing to rent rather than own in the current, unstable economy.