When the Mortgage Rate Drops 1%, the Payment Drops By….
For Buyers:
Well the balanced market didn't last long, 7 weeks to be exact. Last month the Federal Reserve gave the housing industry a much needed gift. Not only did they not raise the Federal Funds Rate, they also announced their intention to drop it three times in 2024. Conventional mortgage rates responded by dropping from 7.1% to 6.62% within 2 days. Mortgage rates have now dropped 1.4% since they peaked at 8% in October 2023, saving a borrower nearly $380 per month on a $400,000 loan, a payment decline of 13%. For perspective, each time the rate drops by 1%, the mortgage payment can drop between 9-10% depending on where it started, in many cases saving at least $200/month*. This rate drop was enough to give December's mortgage applications a boost, which could be a precursor to Jan...