So far the Fed has increased its benchmark rate three times since the financial crisis as they track economic improvement and attempt to maximize employment and stabilize inflation. If the economy continues to improve, and economic data remains positive, another increase could come as soon as May or June. While consumers with credit card debt may see an immediate increase in interest rates as a result of the Fed’s rate increases, the effect on longer term mortgage loans will be less direct, but still impactful. As RPM’s Julian Hebron explains in an article on Zillow “Even though mortgage bonds represent longer-term rates, these Fed hikes still fuel selling of mortgage bonds, pushing mortgage rates higher.”

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The financial markets reacted to the initial uncertainty surrounding the Trump Administration with a post-election uptick in mortgage rates. Despite the recent increase, interest rates are still lingering near historic lows. But, how long will the low rates last? According to a recent Zillow article, “This dramatic rate spike might level off near-term, but don’t count on a reversal back to record lows.” If the economy continues to gather momentum and inflation picks up, chances are good that the Fed will increase rates at the final policy meeting of the year in mid-December. There’s still time to act on low rates before another increase and a rate lock can help ensure that you don’t miss an opportunity! Here’s what you need to know:

Read More “What You Need To Know About Locking A Rate” →

Written by Guest Blogger Jennifer Fortier of Stratmor Group
Originally published in Rob Chrisman’s Daily Mortgage News and Commentary

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