US Mortgages Hit 5% Prices Expected to Drop

Some of us out there still remember when the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage hit 9 percent, but we are not the bulk of today’s buyers. Millennials, now in their prime home buying years, may be in for the rude awakening that credit isn’t always cheap.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed loan sat just below 4 percent a year ago, after dropping below 3.5 percent in 2016. It just crossed the 5 percent mark, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is the first time in 8 years, and it is poised to move higher. Five percent may still be historically cheap, but higher rates, combined with other challenges facing today’s housing market could cause potential buyers to pull back.

“Five percent is definitely an emotional level inasmuch as it scares prospective buyers about how high rates may continue to go,” said Matthew Graham, chief operating officer of MND.

While more people think it is now a good time to buy a home, according to a monthly sentiment survey from Fannie Mae, more people also think mortgage rates will go up, and more people are concerned about keeping their jobs and growing their incomes.

via CNBC

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