by Jacob Lilley | Jan 22, 2021 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
While it wasn’t quite the biggest surprise of 2020, the strength of the housing market was one of the best. The just-released numbers for December keep the good times rolling. Leading the charge was December’s Existing Home Sales report from the National... by Jacob Lilley | Jan 15, 2021 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
It was easy to get lulled into complacency by the second half of 2020 when it came to mortgage rates. Even as other indicators said rates should be rising, they continued on a calm journey to multiple record lows. 2021 has been very different so far! Covid and its... by Jacob Lilley | Jan 8, 2021 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
While it might not seem like the sort of thing mortgage rates should care about, the senate run-off election in Georgia was by far and away this week’s most important event. This wasn’t a surprise either. In fact, interest rates have been bracing for... by Jacob Lilley | Dec 18, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
It’s a busy time of year on a busier-than-normal year, so I’ll keep this short. Those interested in more detail can click through the links. One major theme in the 2nd half of 2020 is that mortgage rates have been insulated from market drama–walking... by Jacob Lilley | Dec 4, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
Mortgage loans ultimately “turn into” bonds and those bonds have a certain value to investors. When those values change, so do the rates offered by mortgage lenders. This is basically a hard and fast rule. But it’s completely out the window right... by Jacob Lilley | Nov 20, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
The National Association of Realtors’ Existing Home Sales report is the broadest measure of housing market activity. It just hit a 14-year record for the 3rd month in a row. It’s not just existing homes. The new home market is crushing it as well. This... by Jacob Lilley | Nov 13, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
Rarely does the month of November offer so much activity for the housing and mortgage markets, but it always offers an updated conforming loan limit. This refers to the maximum loan amount for mortgages that “conform” to the guidelines of housing agencies... by Jacob Lilley | Nov 6, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
Heading into the presidential election, there were significant risks for mortgage rates and a wide range of potential outcomes. We knew there would be volatility either way, and we were right! Volatility goes both ways. Heading into the election, the bond market (the... by Jacob Lilley | Oct 30, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
The 2016 election won’t soon be forgotten in the mortgage or bond markets. Many of the predictions were dead wrong when it came to how interest rates would react to a Trump victory, and the reason ended up being very simple in hindsight. Are there any parallels... by Jacob Lilley | Oct 23, 2020 | Blog, Mortgage Rates
Another week, another glut of news articles claiming mortgage rates are at all-time lows. While no one is intentionally trying to deceive you, the news is deceptive nonetheless. Why? Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey is at the heart of the issue. The...
