It could be a good time to buy
Mortgage rates have been stagnant this week. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped by one basis point to 6.78%, and the 15-year fixed mortgage rate is down one basis point to 5.99%.
A couple of months ago, many expected mortgage interest rates to fall throughout the end of 2024 and all of 2025. Now that Trump has won the presidential election, the future of interest rates is a bit hazier. Trump’s attitude about economic issues such as taxes could keep the 10-year Treasury yield — and mortgage rates — higher for longer. Now could be a relatively good time to buy a house if you are financially prepared, especially since there tends to be less competition as we get into the colder months.
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Dig deeper: Mortgage rates stay flat as Trump’s second term comes into focus
Here are the current mortgage rates, according to the latest Zillow data:
30-year fixed: 6.54%
20-year fixed: 6.27%
15-year fixed: 5.88%
5/1 ARM: 6.98%
7/1 ARM: 6.84%
30-year VA: 5.95%
15-year VA: 5.46%
5/1 VA: 6.16%
30-year FHA: 5.76%
15-year FHA: 5.59%
5/1 FHA: 4.86%
Remember, these are the national averages and rounded to the nearest hundredth.
Learn more: 5 strategies to get the lowest mortgage rates
These are today’s mortgage refinance rates, according to the latest Zillow data:
30-year fixed: 6.61%
20-year fixed: 6.78%
15-year fixed: 5.99%
5/1 ARM: 7.28%
7/1 ARM: 6.33%
30-year VA: 5.95%
15-year VA: 5.48%
5/1 VA: 5.59%
Again, the numbers provided are national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth. Mortgage refinance rates are often higher than rates when you buy a house, although that’s not always the case.
Learn more: Want to refinance your mortgage? Here are 7 home refinance options.
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Yahoo Finance has a free mortgage payment calculator. Use the calculator to see how various mortgage rates and loan terms could affect your monthly payments.
Our calculator also considers homeowners insurance, property taxes, and other expenses that affect your monthly payment. This will give you a better idea of what you’d realistically pay in a month than if you just look at the mortgage principal and interest.
A mortgage interest rate is a fee for borrowing money from your lender, expressed as a percentage. You can choose from two types of rates: fixed or adjustable.
A fixed-rate mortgage locks in your rate for the entire life of your loan. For example, if you get a 30-year mortgage with a 6% interest rate, your rate will stay at 6% for the entire 30 years unless you refinance or sell.
An adjustable-rate mortgage locks in your rate for a predetermined amount of time and then changes it periodically. Let’s say you get a 7/1 ARM with an introductory rate of 6%. Your rate would be 6% for the first seven years, then the rate would increase or decrease once per year for the last 23 years of your term. Whether your rate goes up or down depends on several factors, such as the economy and housing market.
At the beginning of your mortgage term, most of your monthly payment goes toward interest. Your monthly payment toward mortgage principal and interest stays the same throughout the years — however, less and less of your payment goes toward interest, and more goes toward the mortgage principal or the amount you originally borrowed.
Learn more: Adjustable-rate vs. fixed-rate mortgages
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is a good choice if you want a lower mortgage payment and the predictability that comes with having a fixed rate. Just know that your rate will be higher than if you choose a shorter term and will result in paying significantly more in interest over the years.
You might like a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage if you want to pay off your home loan quickly and save money on interest. These shorter terms come with lower interest rates, and since you’re cutting your repayment time in half, you’ll save a lot in interest in the long run. But you’ll need to be sure you can comfortably afford the higher monthly payments that come with 15-year terms.
Read more: How to decide between a 15-year and 30-year fixed-rate mortgage
Typically, an adjustable-rate mortgage could be good if you plan to sell before the introductory rate period ends. Adjustable rates usually start lower than fixed rates, then your rate will change after a predetermined amount of time. However, 5/1 and 7/1 ARM rates are very similar to 30-year fixed rates right now. Before getting an ARM just for a lower rate, compare your rate options from term to term and lender to lender.
Yes and no. Mortgage rates are still lower than they were last November. However, the 30-year fixed rate increased for six consecutive weeks before dropping only one basis point this week, and it is above the 52-week average.
Mortgage rates probably won’t decrease significantly in 2024. It’s possible they will drop in 2025, but right now, the future of mortgage rates is unclear as we wait to see how markets will react to Trump’s second term.
Dig deeper: When will mortgage rates go down?
According to Freddie Mac, today’s national average 30-year mortgage rate has decreased by one basis point since last week to 6.78%, and the average 15-year mortgage rate is also down by one basis point to 5.99%. Both rates have dropped since November 2023, though.
The October Housing Forecast from Fannie Mae predicts 30-year fixed rates will end 2024 at 6%, and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) expects rates to be at 6.3% by the end of the year.
There’s a decent chance mortgage rates will actually go down in 2025, not up. However, we will have to see how the next few months shake out as the markets react to Trump’s upcoming presidential term and Federal Reserve rate cuts.
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