Tag Archives: Refinance

Mortgage Rates Reach ALL TIME LOW According to Freddie Mac … Get Ready, but Wait (days, not weeks) to Pull the Trigger …

As the experience notches in the belt gain in quantity, we have learned the follies of attempting to PREDICT or FORECAST events …. luckily we gave a soft “heads up” that rates MAY be in our corner due to the Corona Virus, and help with longer term Mortgage and other longer term fixed interest rate loans ….

Freddie Mac Reports Lowest Mortgage Rates EVER

According to Freddie Mac….

“The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record 3.29 percent this week, the lowest level in its nearly 50-year history. ” 3-5-20

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Here is the deal…. rates fell AGAIN in the most recent week due to fears of Economic slowdown from the Corona Virus…. but maybe TOO FAST for Mortgage and other longer termed Fixed Rate loans to adjust … On Friday, after the above rates were calculated, the 10 year Treasury, our guidepost for rates, dropped another 22 Basis Points or almost another 1/4 point ….. 

Far right, the 10 year treasury yield fell like a rock as fear stoked investment from across the globe…. yesterday for the first time it took a breather as bonds fell and rates rose…no matter, these are Low Low Low rates!

3-10-20 Ten year treasury

Reach out to your bank, Mortgage Broker, or other refinancing officer, and get your documents in order … begin the qualification process but WAIT (days, not weeks) just a bit and check with your loan professional before locking that rate as it is likely the recent drop in rates has not yet dripped through the loan system…. hopefully better loan rates may be in our very near future…

Here is your friendly reminder on Refinancing or not:

“Think 18 months cost break even – We like to have the saving from the refinance cover the cost of the refinance within 18 months – i.e. Person with $30k mortgage at 5% probably would not need to refinance to 4%, but a $3 million mortgage may be smart to refinance from 4.25% to 4% or the like, if the numbers work out.”

Here is the complete Post which contains 11 items to remember when refinancing!

Take advantage of what cards we are dealt!

Have a Great “All Time Low Rates” Day!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents

Interest Rates Presenting an Opportunity, Eventually … Current Freddie Mac Mortgage Rates as of Last Week

Really like to work on articles a few days, to even a few weeks (ever so often months) in advance … repeat visits to the draft make for a better post as different moods make for different views.

Well…given the speed of Capital Markets lately… a second or third look may garner a loss of possibility.

Break In: As mentioned above, things are moving quickly, yesterday early in the AM, FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) chaired by Jerome Powell lowered interest rates by .50 or 50 basis points as an insurance policy against slowing economic conditions. This does not directly affect loan rates, but speaks to a slower economic situation, which does effect rates across the board!

More on this at a later time…. but the following is an all time inter-day low yesterday for the 10 year treasury yield…at least for the moment!

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.91% – this from the cell, such the unusual format.

Break In Again: Interestingly, after a big rally on Monday and another set for today, the treasury yield is unexpectedly staying low and not rising dramatically in yield, which is what one would expect. This actually gives loan rates time to catch up in their possible slower decline – making this exercise all the better!

Now… let’s carry on …

Fixed Rate Loans, Especially Long Dated, such as 30 Year Mortgages Need Review

Not withstanding the comments in the opener, interest rates have dropped so fast on Virus fears and possible slowing economic conditions as a result that some loans may have not completely caught up as of yet…

3-2-20 Chart of 10 year Treasury

That is an all time low- WOW!

Freddie Mac Rates

Here are the latest average mortgage rates from Freddie Mac as of last week… they are posted only weekly….

2-27-20 Freddie Mac Avg Rates

Now is a good time to review any fixed rate loans, ESPECIALLY longer dated ones… in refinancing a mortgage, here is a detailed post, the following is the most important nugget from that post…

Think 18 months cost break even – We like to have the saving from the refinance cover the cost of the refinance within 18 months – i.e. Person with $30k mortgage at 5% probably would not need to refinance to 4%, but a $3 million mortgage may be smart to refinance from 4.25% to 4% or the like, if the numbers work out.

Have a Great “Fast Moving Markets” Day!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents

Lower Rates MAY Have Created an Opportunity … Refinance that Mortgage? – Here’s Some Tips

As mentioned Friday, with an inverted yield curve, mostly caused by longer term rates being lower than short, an opportunity MAY have been created….

We are going to put this in the Newsletter with more details, so please do not take this as an “ok” to run out and start refinancing, there likely is no hurry AND its a big decision…..

Mortgage Rates are Low Again

This chart is the Average 30 year rate across the US –

30 Year US Avg Mortgage Rate

Here are a few points and rules we like to think about when considering a refinance:

  • Think 18 months cost break even – We like to have the saving from the refinance cover the cost of the refinance within 18 months – i.e. Person with $30k mortgage at 5% probably would not need to refinance to 4%, but a $3 million mortgage may be smart to refinance from 4.25% to 4% or the like, if the numbers work out.
  • Resetting Term – Remember if you reset your term, you are extending the treadmill – You may consider paying extra after the refinance to keep on prior term if desired.
  • Planning on staying – It makes no sense what so ever to refinance if you are planning on moving in the next couple of years – life’s curve balls always happen, but if you are planning to move, likely pass on the refinance.
  • 30 Year Fixed Mortgage is our favorite as you can accelerate your term by paying extra, but a 15 year had its merits too, especially if the rate is greatly different – we are not big fans of Variable rate loans.
  • Closing Costs- keep low as possible- This will make your payback faster, easier and also give you the opportunity to refinance again in the future without angst.
  • Buying down points to lower rates – We are not fans of buying down the rate – Ultimately this increases your closing costs and extends the break even analysis from above – If you did on the last mortgage, review where you are and make sure you are out of your break even period before refinancing again.
  • Ancillary fees – It’s a complicated transaction and there are costs associated with it, deservingly so, but try to keep costs down so as to once again keep your break even period short.
  • PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance – Stay away from this if at all possible. This insurance is a cost to you and does nothing for you as the owner/loan holder.
  • Deductibility of cost – Some costs may be deductible, consider costs that are deductible for taxes over costs that are not – With changing tax laws, expect confusion on this point.
  • Avoid teasers – If you google mortgage rates you will get some outlandish offers, if it sounds too good to be true, it is, there is always a catch. Don’t bite on something that is way different than the others.
  • Careful with Hard Credit Reports – Once you lock in on a decision, avoid running multiple Hard/thorough credit reports (these are needed for mortgages) as duplicate checks will lower your credit score.

Have a Great “Possible Refinance Mortgage” Day!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents