30 Year Mortgage Rates Today at 3.88 Percent as Housing Starts Decline in February

Mortgage rates are lower today, following 10 year Treasury yields lower. Average 30 year mortgage rates today declined to 3.88 percent, down from the prior week's average rate of 3.92 percent. Mortgage rates might move sharply higher or lower this week after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) wraps up their two day meeting tomorrow.

Equity markets are jittery ahead the expected announcement from the Fed tomorrow, the Dow is down 150 points. Analysts do not expect the Fed to announce a hike interest rates tomorrow but are instead looking for language on when a rate hike might take place.

Weekly Mortgage RatesWe believe a federal funds rate hike is most likely in the June meeting. Mortgage rates are not directly tied to the fed funds rate but U.S. Treasury yields are. A fed funds rate hike in June will send Treasury yields higher, which will send mortgage rates higher.

Loan Term
Lender
APR / Rate
Fees / Points
Payment
Surety Home Loans
NMLS #1981224
5.300%
15-Year Fixed
5.000%
$7,944
Includes 0.986 points for $3,944
Lender Fees: $4,000
$3,164 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
5.631%
15-Year Fixed
5.490%
$3,676
Includes 0.744 points for $2,976
Lender Fees: $700
$3,267 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
5.637%
15-Year Fixed
5.490%
$3,820
Includes 0.955 points for $3,820
Lender Fees: $0
$3,267 /mo
Farmers Bank of Kansas City
NMLS #613839
5.680%
15-Year Fixed
5.490%
$4,955
Includes 0.767 points for $3,068
Lender Fees: $1,887
$3,267 /mo
Ease Mortgage
NMLS #2273319
License: CA-DOC902467
5.681%
15-Year Fixed
5.500%
$4,722
Includes 0.658 points for $2,632
Lender Fees: $2,090
$3,269 /mo
Loansteady
NMLS #1701910
5.808%
15-Year Fixed
5.750%
$1,490
Includes 0.000 points for $0
Lender Fees: $1,490
$3,322 /mo
Surety Home Loans
NMLS #1981224
6.057%
5-Year ARM
5.875%
$7,880
Includes 0.970 points for $3,880
Lender Fees: $4,000
$2,367 /mo
PenFed Credit Union
NMLS #401822
6.214%
15-Year Fixed
6.000%
$5,495
Includes 0.875 points for $3,500
Lender Fees: $1,995
$3,376 /mo
Surety Home Loans
NMLS #1981224
6.312%
30-Year Fixed
6.125%
$8,000
Includes 1.000 points for $4,000
Lender Fees: $4,000
$2,431 /mo
Home Simply
NMLS #2473786
6.483%
30-Year Fixed
6.375%
$4,539
Includes 0.861 points for $3,444
Lender Fees: $1,095
$2,496 /mo
DECO Mortgage
NMLS #2561451
6.484%
30-Year Fixed
6.375%
$4,671
Includes 0.669 points for $2,676
Lender Fees: $1,995
$2,496 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
6.577%
30-Year Fixed
6.490%
$3,624
Includes 0.906 points for $3,624
Lender Fees: $0
$2,526 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
6.599%
30-Year Fixed
6.490%
$4,548
Includes 0.962 points for $3,848
Lender Fees: $700
$2,526 /mo
Farmers Bank of Kansas City
NMLS #613839
6.610%
30-Year Fixed
6.490%
$5,019
Includes 0.783 points for $3,132
Lender Fees: $1,887
$2,526 /mo
Ease Mortgage
NMLS #2273319
License: CA-DOC902467
6.646%
5-Year ARM
6.500%
$6,086
Includes 0.999 points for $3,996
Lender Fees: $2,090
$2,529 /mo
HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
NMLS #399799
6.719%
30-Year Fixed
6.625%
$4,032
Includes 0.676 points for $2,704
Lender Fees: $1,328
$2,562 /mo
Ease Mortgage
NMLS #2273319
License: CA-DOC902467
6.741%
30-Year Fixed
6.625%
$4,818
Includes 0.682 points for $2,728
Lender Fees: $2,090
$2,562 /mo
PenFed Credit Union
NMLS #401822
6.746%
30-Year Fixed
6.625%
$4,995
Includes 0.750 points for $3,000
Lender Fees: $1,995
$2,562 /mo
Loansteady
NMLS #1701910
6.786%
30-Year Fixed
6.750%
$1,490
Includes 0.000 points for $0
Lender Fees: $1,490
$2,595 /mo
Rate data provided by RateUpdate.com. Displayed by ICB, a division of Mortgage Research Center, NMLS #1907, Equal Housing Opportunity. Payments do not include taxes and insurance premiums. Actual payments will be greater with taxes and insurance included. Rate and product details.

Housing starts fell 17 percent in February to 897,000 units, lower than the forecast of 1,097,000. February's number is the first time since last July the number was below 1 million. The sharp decline was primarily due to the bad weather, analysts expect the March number to be back above 1 million. You can view the entire report on new construction: New Residential Construction in February 2015.

Mortgage Rates TodayAverage 30 year conforming rates are at 3.88 percent but there are many lenders quoting 30 year rates below the average. The lowest 30 year refinance rates on the rate table for California are at 3.625 percent with 1 mortgage point.

The more points you are willing to pay the lower the mortgage rate you can get on a loan. Points on loans are available in quarter point increments. Most lenders only allow you to "buy down" the rate with a maximum of 2 points.

Current mortgage rates on 15 year conforming loans are averaging 3.05 percent, a decline from last week's average rate of 3.08 percent. If the Fed hints that a rate hike will come later than June, bonds will rally and we could see 15 year mortgage rates fall back below 3.00 percent.

The best 15 year refinance rates available on the rate table for Connecticut are at 2.875 percent with 1.125 mortgage points. The best rates without points on the table for Connecticut are at 3.125 percent.

Today's mortgage rates on 30 year jumbo loans are averaging 4.22 percent, down 11 basis points from last week's average jumbo rate of 4.33 percent. The lowest 30 year jumbo refinance rate on the table for Colorado is at 3.50 percent with 1 mortgage point.

15 year jumbo mortgage rates are also down 11 basis points this week. The current average rate is 3.94 percent, down from last week's average of 4.05 percent. The lowest 15 year refinance rate available on the table for Florida is at 3.50 percent with 1 mortgage point.

Conforming 5 year adjustable mortgage rates are averaging 3.34 percent, a decline of 1 basis point from the prior week's average of 3.35 percent. The lowest 5 year adjustable refinance rates on the table for Texas are at 2.625 percent with 1 mortgage point. The lowest rate without points is at 2.875 percent.

Jumbo adjustable mortgage rates on 5 year loans are averaging 3.44 percent, down from last week's average of 3.52 percent. The lowest 5 year jumbo adjustable rates currently available in Oregon are at 2.875 percent with 1 point and at 3.125 percent with no points.

 

 
Author: Brian McKay
March 17th, 2015

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