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FAQ - Where Are Home Loan Interest Rates Today?

Didier Malagies • Mar 08, 2022

Everyone wants to know "where the rates are?" But first you need to understand how published rates are actually determined.

Most people believe there is a "rate" for mortgages, and mortgage brokers can get you close to that "rate."


News broadcasters talk about rates going up, going down, and what's happening in the market. All of this makes you think there is a "rate."


The truth is, the "rates" that they talk about on the news and in the papers comes from a survey. Specifically, the Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) that surveys lenders each week on the rates and points for their most popular 30-year fixed-rate, 15-year fixed-rate, 5/1 hybrid amortizing adjustable-rate, and 1-year amortizing adjustable-rate mortgage products.


The "rates" they talk about online, in the paper, and on the news is simply a look back and an average. So, if you want to get an "idea" about what the average rate was across the United States last week. Go to freddiemac.com/pmms. This will tell you "where are home loan interest rates today"–again, an average, last week, for the entire country.


The average might give you a ball park idea, but this will not help you determine your interest rate. The only way to know what you can qualify for is to complete a mortgage application with a mortgage broker and shop your application to multiple lenders. The lenders will offer you terms and that will determine what interest rates are available to you. 

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By DDA Mortgage 12 Oct, 2022
If you have been displaced by a hurricane and are currently renting, we have some good news for you. You may be eligible for an FHA 203H home loan . The FHA 203H home loan is available to renters who were displaced by a natural disaster and are looking to purchase a new home. The FHA 203H home loan is an excellent option for renters who want to become homeowners, and have been displaced by a hurricane or other natural disaster.
By DDA Mortgage 05 Oct, 2022
The short answer is Yes, you can sell your home or pay off your reverse mortgage. But here's what you need to know...
By DDA Mortgage 03 Aug, 2022
The answer is yes. If you take out a reverse mortgage, you are required to pay taxes and homeowner's insurance.  Reverse mortgages are a way to convert your home equity into cash or a stream of payments. For seniors, they can be a great way to get the money they need without needing to liquidate other assets or sell their home.
By DDA Mortgage 20 Jul, 2022
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By DDA Mortgage 06 Jul, 2022
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By DDA Mortgage 27 Jun, 2022
Now is not the best time to refinance with rates going up. However, if you need cash to pay off high-interest adjustable debt that is climbing or if you want to take on a home project because of the increased equity of your home, cash-out refinancing is still a good option. Remember, you can always refinance again, when the rates are lower. If you don't need the money, I suggest waiting until rates come back down. Here's why. I've been in the mortgage industry for over 35 years. I've seen this cycle many times. The Fed is raising rates. Eventually, this will slow down the economy and lead to a recession. The Fed will lower rates to recover from the recession. Once this happens, it will be a good time to refinance, cash-out, pay down debt, and take on home projects. When rates drop, it will be a great opportunity to take advantage of all that equity you've built up. Rate drops are hard to predict for several reasons, but the cycle is consistent. Mortgage rates rise and fall based on a number of factors like: Changes In The Bond Market Affect Mortgage Interest Rates The bond market is a huge part of the mortgage rate equation. And that's because bonds are what most lenders use to fund their mortgages. When interest rates rise in the bond market, lenders have to pay more for their funds, which means they can't afford to offer as many mortgages at a lower rate as they could before. That makes it more expensive for borrowers to get a loan. Changes In The Secured Overnight Finance Rate Another factor that can affect mortgage rates is the Secured Overnight Finance Rate (SOFR). It's the rate banks charge each other overnight for short-term loans. The Federal Reserve sets this rate every morning and adjusts it throughout the day based on how well banks are doing financially. When SOFR rises or falls, so do other rates like LIBOR and T-bill yields — all of which impact mortgage rates. The Constant Maturity Treasury Rate Affects Rates This is another important factor that can affect your mortgage rate: The Constant Maturity Treasury Rate (CMT) is a benchmark used by lenders to determine how much interest they'll pay on bonds they buy from investors — such as those issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. When CMT rises or falls, so does your mortgage rate. The Health Of The Economy Affects Rates When the economy is strong and growing, it's likely that mortgage rates will decrease as well. This is because lenders are more willing to lend money when they're confident that they'll be repaid. In addition, homebuyers tend to have more job security when jobs are plentiful and salaries increase, so their ability to repay their loans is better than if they were unemployed or underemployed. The Health Of The Economy Affects Mortgage Rates When the economy is strong and growing, it's likely that mortgage rates will decrease as well. This is because lenders are more willing to lend money when they're confident that they'll be repaid. In addition, homebuyers tend to have more job security when jobs are plentiful and salaries increase, so their ability to repay their loans is better than if they were unemployed or underemployed. Inflation Affects Mortgage Rates Inflation is another factor that affects mortgage rates. Higher inflation leads to higher interest rates because lenders know that they will be paid back with less buying power than they lent if inflation continues at its current pace. The term structure of interest rates is another factor that affects mortgage rates. This refers to the difference between short-term interest rates such as three-month Treasury bills and long-term ones such as 30-year mortgages. The yield curve refers specifically to this spread between short-term and long-term yields on government bonds or home loans. When investors want higher returns from longer maturities, they usually require a higher yield on those investments. When all this will happen is hard to predict for several reasons, but the cycle is consistent. I'm Didier at DDA mortgage. I always want to give you options, so you can get the best loan with the best terms to fit your situation. If you have any questions about refinancing your home, call DDA Mortgage at (727) 784-5555 , or use the form below to send us your questions.
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By Didier Malagies 06 May, 2024
1. Regular FHA where you can put down 3.5% have lower credit scores, higher income debt ratios 2. FHA203k - Mortgage you can do with an added feature of having Home improvements where you buy a home and get things done like a new roof, air conditioning, etc ., and have it all in one. 3. I am going to catch you on this one, did you know that Reverse Mortgage is an FHA? So really 3 different types of vehicles that can get you into a home or get home improvements included in the financing or a Reverse Mortgage for the elderly that has no mortgage payment and help subsidize your retirement. The Government did an incredible job looking at the various ways to help buyers get into a home. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog Didier Malagies nmls#212566 DDA Mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies 02 May, 2024
The Federal Reserve ’s Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) maintained its short-term policy interest rate steady at a range of 5.25% to 5.5% for a sixth consecutive meeting on Wednesday. “The Committee does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%,“ the FOMC said in a statement. “In addition, the Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities.“ During their last meeting in March , policymakers indicated that they still envisioned three interest rate cuts in 2024. But with inflation remaining sticky and unemployment staying below 4%, these expectations are becoming less likely. Recent economic data hasn’t given the Fed confidence that inflation will continue to decline. Strong inflation data in the first quarter, coupled with a robust labor market , have postponed expectations for the first Fed rate cut. In April, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, speaking at the Washington Forum , made it clear that rate cuts were not imminent due to the strength of the economy. The economy has maintained surprising momentum despite the current level of short-term rates. With the unemployment rate below 4%, companies are steadily adding workers and real wage growth is observable as inflation eases. Although upward movements in inflation are noteworthy, considerable progress toward the Fed’s 2% target has been made. “It’s unlikely that the next policy rate move will be a hike,” Powell told journalists on Wednesday during the FOMC’s press conference. “In order to hike the rates, we would need to see persuasive evidence that our policy stance is not sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation sustainably down to 2% over time. That’s not what we are seeing at the moment.” While Powell emphasized the unlikelihood of future rate hikes, he also remained vague about the Fed’s future interest rate trajectory. “We didn’t see progress in the first quarter. It appears that it will take longer for us to reach that point of confidence,” Powell said. “I don’t know how long it will take. … My personal forecast is that we will begin to see progress on inflation this year. I don’t know that it will be enough to cut rates; we will have to let the data lead us on that.” In a new development, the Fed announced an easing of its quantitative tightening policy. Starting in June, the rate-setting body will lower the roll-off rate of its Treasury securities from $60 billion to $25 billion per month. This means that while the Fed will not begin selling Treasurys in June, it will allow fewer of them to mature. It will not alter its roll-off rate for mortgage-backed securities (MBS), which will remain at $35 billion per month, according to Xander Snyder, senior commercial real estate economist at First American. “The FOMC did not change the ongoing passive roll-off of its MBS holdings but did note that any prepayments beyond the continuing $35 billion cap would be reinvested in Treasuries,” Mike Fratantoni, senior vice president and chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, said in a statement. “We expect mortgage rates to drop later this year, but not as far or as fast as we previously had predicted.” In addition, Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment to carrying forward the Basel III endgame regulations in a way that’s faithful to Basel and also comparable to what the jurisdictions in other nations are doing. Since the March FOMC meeting, Freddie Mac’s average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has increased from 6.74% to 7.17%. Before the next FOMC meeting on June 12, two additional inflation readings are expected. “While it’s a possibility, I don’t think that we’ll see much change in mortgage rates following this Fed meeting, because the Fed has been willing to let the data lead at this stage in the cycle,” Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale said in a statement. “In order to see mortgage rates drop more significantly, the Fed will need to see more evidence that inflation is slowing.”  For homebuyers and sellers, this suggests that housing affordability will remain a top consideration, possibly driving home purchases in affordable markets, predominantly in the Midwest and South, according to Hale.
By Didier Malagies 29 Apr, 2024
Depending on where you live there is an opportunity in certain areas that you can get $2,500 towards the closing costs. You also get a lower rate and monthly PMI. Programs open up to you where there is down payment assistance and also the 1% down program available. The Gov't is printing 1 trillion every 100 days, and the costs of everything are out of control. The time will come when they will be printing a trillion every 30 days. Credit cards, car loans, and student loans are at unprecedented levels is it time to refinance your home to save money and then do another refinance as a rate term when the pivot happens at some point in the future the cost of everything is going up and not stopping and you will see inflation continue to gain ground once again. Time to put the house in order with a refinance to consolidate debt. A phone call or an email away to go over your present situation and see what makes sense with the present home values tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
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