Lower Mortgage Rates Today: 30 Year Conventional Rates Averaging 4.27 Percent

Mortgage rates have drifted lower for the past several weeks. Average 30 year mortgage rates today are at 4.27 percent, a decline from last week's average 30 year rate of 4.29 percent. Mortgage rates have followed 10 year bond yields lower which are averaging 2.62 percent today.

It will be interesting to see where rates are in the next couple of weeks. The government shutdown hasn't had an effect on bond rates, which in turn hasn't affected mortgage rates but the coming debt ceiling limit is another matter. The official date the U.S. Treasury says we will hit the debt limit is October 17 but it may happen sooner.

Debt Ceiling Breach Would Send Mortgage Rates Tumbling

Loan Term
Lender
APR / Rate
Fees / Points
Payment
Home Simply
NMLS #2473786
5.045%
15-Year Fixed
4.875%
$4,523
Includes 0.857 points for $3,428
Lender Fees: $1,095
$3,138 /mo
LifeStone Mortgage
NMLS #1085173
5.056%
15-Year Fixed
4.875%
$4,870
Includes 0.875 points for $3,500
Lender Fees: $1,370
$3,138 /mo
Tomo Mortgage, LLC.
NMLS #2059741
5.117%
15-Year Fixed
4.990%
$3,360
Includes 0.840 points for $3,360
Lender Fees: $0
$3,162 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
5.141%
15-Year Fixed
4.990%
$3,988
Includes 0.997 points for $3,988
Lender Fees: $0
$3,162 /mo
Different Mortgage
NMLS #324599
License: 324599
5.239%
15-Year Fixed
5.125%
$3,070
Includes 0.500 points for $2,000
Lender Fees: $1,070
$3,190 /mo
Zoom Loans
NMLS #1312186
5.365%
15-Year Fixed
5.250%
$3,000
Includes 0.750 points for $3,000
Lender Fees: $0
$3,216 /mo
New American Funding, LLC.
NMLS #6606
5.392%
15-Year Fixed
5.240%
$3,992
Includes 0.998 points for $3,992
Lender Fees: $0
$3,214 /mo
Blue Sky Financial, LLC
NMLS #1954591
License: 60DBO-113383
5.394%
15-Year Fixed
5.250%
$3,835
Includes 0.682 points for $2,728
Lender Fees: $1,107
$3,216 /mo
Home Simply
NMLS #2473786
5.466%
5-Year ARM
5.375%
$4,067
Includes 0.743 points for $2,972
Lender Fees: $1,095
$2,240 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
5.503%
15-Year Fixed
5.375%
$3,348
Includes 0.662 points for $2,648
Lender Fees: $700
$3,242 /mo
LifeStone Mortgage
NMLS #1085173
5.866%
5-Year ARM
5.750%
$5,146
Includes 0.944 points for $3,776
Lender Fees: $1,370
$2,335 /mo
Home Simply
NMLS #2473786
5.947%
30-Year Fixed
5.875%
$3,135
Includes 0.510 points for $2,040
Lender Fees: $1,095
$2,367 /mo
Bison State Bank
NMLS #757416
5.954%
30-Year Fixed
5.875%
$3,436
Includes 0.859 points for $3,436
Lender Fees: $0
$2,367 /mo
Tomo Mortgage, LLC.
NMLS #2059741
5.955%
30-Year Fixed
5.875%
$3,476
Includes 0.869 points for $3,476
Lender Fees: $0
$2,367 /mo
LifeStone Mortgage
NMLS #1085173
5.963%
30-Year Fixed
5.875%
$3,870
Includes 0.625 points for $2,500
Lender Fees: $1,370
$2,367 /mo
Zoom Loans
NMLS #1312186
5.964%
5-Year ARM
5.875%
$3,876
Includes 0.969 points for $3,876
Lender Fees: $0
$2,367 /mo
Different Mortgage
NMLS #324599
License: 324599
5.990%
30-Year Fixed
5.875%
$5,070
Includes 1.000 points for $4,000
Lender Fees: $1,070
$2,367 /mo
Blue Sky Financial, LLC
NMLS #1954591
License: 60DBO-113383
6.094%
5-Year ARM
5.990%
$4,543
Includes 0.859 points for $3,436
Lender Fees: $1,107
$2,396 /mo
Different Mortgage
NMLS #324599
License: 324599
6.104%
5-Year ARM
5.990%
$5,006
Includes 0.984 points for $3,936
Lender Fees: $1,070
$2,396 /mo
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.
NMLS #1025894
6.200%
30-Year Fixed
6.125%
$3,196
Includes 0.624 points for $2,496
Lender Fees: $700
$2,431 /mo
Zoom Loans
NMLS #1312186
6.207%
30-Year Fixed
6.125%
$3,500
Includes 0.875 points for $3,500
Lender Fees: $0
$2,431 /mo
Blue Sky Financial, LLC
NMLS #1954591
License: 60DBO-113383
6.207%
30-Year Fixed
6.125%
$3,567
Includes 0.615 points for $2,460
Lender Fees: $1,107
$2,431 /mo
HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
NMLS #399799
6.213%
30-Year Fixed
6.125%
$3,900
Includes 0.643 points for $2,572
Lender Fees: $1,328
$2,431 /mo
New American Funding, LLC.
NMLS #6606
6.329%
30-Year Fixed
6.240%
$3,768
Includes 0.942 points for $3,768
Lender Fees: $0
$2,461 /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.

If an agreement is made between Republicans and Democrats to increase the borrowing limit of the U.S. Government, bond rates and mortgage rates will remain around current levels. If the debt ceiling isn't increased and the U.S. defaults, believe it or not bond rates will tumble in the short term which would send mortgage rates sharply lower.

Any other country other than the United States defaulting on its debt would send bond rates for that country through the roof. In the short term, bond rates would plummet on U.S. Treasuries because there would be a classic flight to quality. Equity markets would plummet and most commodity prices (except gold) would plummet, sending investors into the safety of U.S. bonds.

Rates on bonds work in inverse to bond prices, so when prices move higher, rates move lower and vice versa. Investors would flee equity markets, commodity markets, and debt from most other countries. All this money would have to go somewhere and most of it would end up buying U.S. bonds.

In the long run if the United States didn't pay its bills, then yes, U.S. bond rates would soar but everyone knows this scenario won't play out. Even if the debt ceiling is breached, politicians would finally get their act together and pass an increase so the default would be a short-term crisis.

Lower Mortgage Rates Today 30 Year Conventional Rates Averaging 4.27 PercentFixed Conforming Mortgage Rates Today

30 year mortgage rates are averaging 4.27 percent today and probably will stay around current levels until the debt ceiling limit is reached or a deal is made between Democrats and Republicans. If  no deal is made and the ceiling is breached, average 30 year mortgage rates will fall back under 4.00 percent.

If you're looking for a loan, you don't have to wait for average rates to move back under 4.00 percent because there are many lenders already offering rates below 4.00 percent. The lowest 30 year mortgage refinance rates right now in our rate database are at 3.625 percent with 2 mortgage points. The lowest 30 year rates without points are available at 3.875 percent, still under 4.00 percent!

Current mortgage rates on 15 year conventional loans are averaging 3.33 percent this week, a decline from the previous week's average 15 year mortgage rate of 3.35 percent. A default on the nations debt would send 10 year bond rates down towards 2.00 percent which would send 15 year mortgage rates back under 3.00 percent.

As with 30 year rates, we also have lenders currently offering 15 year rates under 3.00 percent. 15 year refinance rates today in our database are available at 2.75 percent with 1.875 mortgage points. We also have many lenders quoting 15 year refinancing rates at 2.75 percent with 2 points. The lowest 15 year refi rates without points are exactly at 3.00 percent.

Today's Jumbo Mortgage Rates

Today's mortgage rates on 30 year jumbo loans are averaging 4.57 percent, a decline from last week's average 30 year jumbo mortgage rate of 4.65 percent. A debt default would send 30 year jumbo rates back under 4.50 percent and probably down to the 4.25 percent range.

Right now the lowest 30 year jumbo mortgage interest rates in our database are still under 4.00 percent. We have one lender, Capital One, quoting 30 year jumbo refinance rates at 3.75 percent with 2 mortgage points. The lowest 30 year jumbo rates without points at 4.125 percent is also from the same lender.

Average 15 year jumbo rates are currently at 3.88 percent, down from last week's average 15 year jumbo rate of 3.93 percent. A debt default would send 15 year jumbo rates down to the 3.50 percent range. Currently, the lowest 15 year jumbo refi rates in our database being offered are at 3.125 percent with 2 points and at 3.50 percent with no points.

 
Author: Brian McKay
October 3rd, 2013

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