Mortgage rates rose more noticeably today as a part of a 3 day bounce after hitting the lowest levels in roughly 3 months at the end of last week.  Whereas yesterday's increases weren't really worth mentioning, today's hurt--depending on the scenario. 

In general, this bounce was to-be-expected.  Granted, we can't ever know exactly how big such bounces will be or how long they'll last, but when rates improve for as many days in a row as they recently had, a bounce is increasingly inevitable. 

So how bad is this one?  Not too bad so far.  I'm not thrilled about the "3 days" part, but really it's only been today that counts (the other two days were effectively flat).  As such, tomorrow and Friday become a bit more important by way of assessing any momentum ahead of next week's Fed Announcement (which will have the final say in rate momentum for the rest of the year).

 See Rates from Lenders in Your Area


Loan Originator Perspective

Bonds withstood a tepid treasury auction today, continuing this week's consolidation.  Until rates decide where they're headed from here, I'm locking applications closing within 30 days. -Ted Rood, Senior Originator


Today's Most Prevalent Rates

  • 30YR FIXED - 4.75%
  • FHA/VA - 4.25%
  • 15 YEAR FIXED - 4.25%
  • 5 YEAR ARMS -  4.375%-4.875% depending on the lender


Ongoing Lock/Float Considerations 

  • Headwinds that had plagued rates for most of the past 2 years are slowly dying down.  The rising rate environment could flare up again, and some headwinds remain in effect, but the broader tone has taken a more optimistic shift.

  • Highest rates in more than 7 years in Oct/Nov.  Lowest rates in more than 2 months as of early December

  • This is a bit of a crossroads.  We may look back at Oct/Nov and see a long-term ceiling, or we may look back at early December and see a temporary correction before more pain.  Either way, it's one of the more hopeful positions we've been in for several years.
  • Rates discussed refer to the most frequently-quoted, conforming, conventional 30yr fixed rate for top tier borrowers among average to well-priced lenders.  The rates generally assume little-to-no origination or discount except as noted when applicable.  Rates appearing on this page are "effective rates" that take day-to-day changes in upfront costs into consideration.