Author: Regan Hagestad

Mortgage Rates Increase Headed into Holiday Weekend

Regan Hagestad November 29, 2016

Freddie Mac’s most recent Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows average fixed mortgage rates moving higher, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage topping 4 percent for the first time since 2015. “In a short week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, the 10-year Treasury yield rose 8 basis points,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The 30-year mortgage rate followed

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Four Factors That Will Help You Get a Mortgage

Regan Hagestad November 21, 2016

Mortgage lenders look at four factors when deciding whether to grant financing, and having an understanding of each will help make the process much easier. Steady income Having a stable income is key. Lenders crave a consistent income that is poised to continue into the future, while any gaps in employment during the past two years must be explained and

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Can I Buy With Cash And Then Get A Mortgage?

Regan Hagestad November 14, 2016

There’s a new buying strategy brewing: Cash first, mortgage later. Here’s how it works: Rather than having to finance a purchase, buyers liquidate their assets (including taking money out of their retirement savings, investment accounts and assets such as other property); amass enough cash to purchase a home outright; and then make an all-cash offer. This can help make your

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Mortgage Rates See an Increase

Regan Hagestad November 9, 2016

Freddie Mac’s most recent Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that a jump this past week in the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) — the price index tracked most closely by the Fed — raised the prospect that inflation might not have gone by the wayside after all. Investors reacted by driving the yield on the 10-year Treasury to its highest point

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Four Ways Mortgage Lenders Can Help You Buy a Home

Regan Hagestad October 31, 2016

Lenders make homeownership possible for many people who don’t have the available cash to purchase a home. They also help buyers with bad credit or no down payment to obtain loans. Here, Realtor.com offers four ways lenders can assist you on the path to homeownership, along with some recommendations on how to make the most of this relationship. Lenders can provide pre-approval If

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Mortgage Apps up 0.6 Percent

Regan Hagestad October 25, 2016

Mortgage applications increased 0.6 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Oct. 14 (with an adjustment included for the Columbus Day holiday). The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 0.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

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Mortgage Rates Inch Higher

Regan Hagestad October 18, 2016

Freddie Mac’s most recent Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows average fixed-mortgage rates moved higher for the week ending Oct. 8, with average fixed mortgage rates following Treasury yields. “The 10-year Treasury yield continued its climb, as an increasing number of financial market participants foresee a December rate hike after a series of positive economic data releases,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie

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Mortgage Rates Remain Stable

Regan Hagestad October 11, 2016

Average fixed mortgage rates remain largely unchanged ahead of this week’s employment report, according to the most recent Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. “The 10-year Treasury yield leaped to a two-week high following reports of the European Central Bank retreating from its bond-buying program ahead of its initial March deadline,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “In contrast,

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Six Ways to Avoid Losing Your Mortgage After Pre-Approval

Regan Hagestad September 26, 2016

Compiling paperwork for a mortgage application often can seem a bit overwhelming, as lenders must document every bit of your income to build a case that you will be able to repay the loan. So, after all is said and done, you definitely don’t want your loan to fall through. To help avoid that from happening, Credit.com offers some tips

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Why Are Rising Incomes Good for the Housing Market?

Regan Hagestad September 19, 2016

Mortgage rates are on the rise, with Freddie Mac reporting this past week that a 30-year, fixed-rate loan averaged 3.50 percent, up from 3.44 percent the previous week. Meanwhile, rates were 3.91 last year during this same time. However, according to the Census Bureau, which released its annual report on Income and Poverty in the United States this past week, the median household

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