Rate Update: Current and Future Trends

Now that the spring/summer real estate season is over, let’s look at recent interest rate trends—and what may be in store in the coming months.

Generally, the interest rates on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage have been stable throughout the spring and summer real estate season. According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the interest rates have fluctuated only 0.12 percentage points on the 30-year fixed-rate and only 0.14 percentage points on the 15-year fixed-rate from April through September.

This stability in the rates is something we’ve seen the last two years during the same April-September timeframe, with a variance of 0.17 percentage points in the 30-year fixed and 0.14 percentage points in the 15-year fixed in 2017 and 0.17 in the 30-year fixed and 0.12 in the 15-year fixed in 2016. The weekly figures also show fairly steady rates. Since July 26, the 30-year fixed has varied only 0.09 percentage points and the 15-year fixed has varied only 0.11 percentage points.

The steady interest rates are a result of a variety of factors that have been applying pressure—both upwards and downwards—on the rates. The balanced economy, strong corporate earnings and worries over rising inflation have applied upward pressure while slowing home sales, concerns about the global economy, and other international “drama”—such as the recent currency problem in Turkey—have applied downward pressure on the rates.

Going forward, two opposing factors that may influence interest rates in the near future are the Federal Reserve’s pronouncement that we’ll see one or two more hikes to the key short-term interest rate this year and the possible economic ramifications of the current tension surrounding tariffs and trade.

As always, to get the best information on interest rate trends, talk to your mortgage professional.

For more than 25 years, Omega Financial has been serving mortgage clients in Massachusetts. Our brokers have approximately 50 years in the mortgage business. You always will receive fast, courteous, and accurate information. Omega Financial, Inc. is a company duly licensed to operate in Massachusetts as a Mortgage Brokerage. We are located in the Town of Norwood, Massachusetts where we have been operating as Omega Financial Incorporated since 1988.

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