Mortgage Rates Hold Steady

Mortgage rates for the most part held steady this week. The 30 year rate dropped from 5.12 to 5.10. Rates are still at historic lows. The rates for the last month have all been below anything we have seen in the last 40 years since we started tracking weekly mortgage rates. The 15 year rate held steady at 4.8. The 5 year arm rose from 5.24 to 5.27 and the 1 year arm dropped from 4.92 to 4.90. What the numbers below don't reflect is that rates mid week were a little higher midweek. But by the end of the week they had fallen. Below are rates for the last few weeks.

Jan 29, 2008
30-yr 5.10 15-yr 4.80 5-yr ARM 5.27 1-yr ARM 4.90

Jan 22, 2008
30-yr 5.12 15-yr 4.80 5-yr ARM 5.24 1-yr ARM 4.92

Jan 15, 2008
30-yr 4.96 15-yr 4.65 5-yr ARM 5.25 1-yr ARM 4.89

Jan 08, 2008
30-yr 5.01 15-yr 4.62 5-yr ARM 5.49 1-yr ARM 4.95

Dec 31, 2008
30-yr 5.10 15-yr 4.83 5-yr ARM 5.57 1-yr ARM 4.85

If you are planning on putting 20% down the 5 year arm and the 1 year arm are pretty pointless. The 5 year arm is above the 30 year fixed rate. The 1 year arm is below the 30 year fixed but doesn't really offer enough savings to be worth the tradeoff of forgoing locking in at historic lows. We have seen a trend recently where on some properties banks are allowing borrowers to get 10 percent down for a 5 or 1 year arm but are requiring 20 percent for a 30 year loan. I am not sure why banks are favoring arm's since that is what got them into this mess. Ok so in addition to looking at rates lets look at mortgage payments. We looked at a mortgage payment based on today's rates for a 200k loan. We also did the same thing looking at rates from 2 weeks ago (which was all time low point for the 30 year fixed rate mortgage). We also looked at rates from 2 months ago.

Jan 29
30-yr 1085.89
15-yr 1560.82
5-yr ARM 1106.88
1-yr ARM 1061.45

Jan 15
30-yr 1068.75
15-yr 1545.36
5-yr ARM 1104.4
1-yr ARM 1060.23

November 20th
30-yr $1204.24
15-yr $1658.67
5-yr ARM $1182.43
1-yr ARM $1109.36

As we can see although a mortgage payment would have been a little less 2 weeks ago all in all rates and mortgage payments have not changed that much. But we are still seeing substantial savings from 2 months ago.

So what is our advice. It should be pretty obvious but with rates at all time lows the time to refinance is now. In addition, if you are currently thinking of getting a mortgage I would lock in an interest rate sooner rather than later.

In general there is still more of a risk of rates going up over the next month than down. Rates simply don't have that much room to fall. So most likely we should see rates hold even or rise over the next month. In addition, there is a risk that rates could rise rapidly over the next 6 months if the economy improves.

Escapeso real estate provides information about mortgage rates on their site. They also provide a search of the Austin MLS

Poor Credit Home Equity Loan Tips

A home equity loan can help repair your poor credit history. Begin by finding a competitive financing lender with affordable rates and terms. Next, work toward establishing a solid credit history, enabling you to lower your interest rates on future loans.

Plan For The Future

A home equity loan can be your first step toward repairing a poor credit history. Before you apply for your loan, consider how to best use the money.

Paying off credit cards with high interest rates or investing in your house by making needed repairs are both wise choices. The paid interest from your home equity loan is also tax deductible, an added financial bonus.

Shop For A Lender

When you are ready to apply for a home equity loan, compare rates of financing lenders. A rate that is even a half a percent lower can save you hundreds over the course of your loan, so take the time to look at several lenders.

Points and fees are also part of the loans cost, so be sure to add them in when you compare loans. Every loan will have some form of points and fees since this is how mortgage brokers are paid, but they can vary widely between mortgage companies.

Go Online

Save time by shopping for financing lender online. Mortgage websites can now send you home equity loan quotes from several lenders when you enter your information through their website. It is a no-risk way of looking at your financing options.

Lock In Rates

Rates change daily, so dont put off applying for the actual loan. Online loan applications can be completed any time. Once approved, you will be sent the paperwork for your final approval and signature. After it is notarized, your loan will be processed.

Build Your Credit History

With your loan finalized, you can begin building a good credit history. Mortgage companies look at the last three years of your credit history, so with regular payments you can be on the right financial track in no time.

After three years of a good credit history, you can consider refinancing your home equity or mortgage loan for a better interest rate.

To view our list of recommended bad credit home equity mortgage lenders online, visit this
page: Recommended Poor Credit Mortgage Lenders Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Lowest Home Equity Line Of Credit Rates

A home equity line of credit is a combination of a line of credit and an equity loan. It is also referred to as HELOC. It gives the maximum loan amount based on credit and equity, with the difference between total assets and total liabilities. This permits the borrower to take a maximum loan amount, provided it does not exceed the credit limit, without re-applying each time.

There are different equity line of credit rates, like home equity line of credit, commercial equity line of credit and best home equity line of credit. In HELOC, homebuyers can use some of the equity that is built up in the home and can be used personally. This facility is available for homebuyers, but not for tenants. Many reputed banks offer HELOC to borrowers.

A home equity line of credit is given to the homeowner by check or a credit or debit card, which can be used by the borrower according need. Interest is paid on the amount that is used. The options depend on the policies of the different banks and the requirements of the homeowners.

The different terms, conditions, fine print and rates of different loans are based on and vary according to customer requirement. Borrowers can make a smart choice by conducting research on all essential information including the prevalent rates. If customers have trouble spots on their credit reports, it is essential to fix the errors before approaching various loan lenders.

Customers should also study all the available options and compare the different loan terms from various banks and organizations. Sometimes borrowers avail of a lower rate by negotiating with the bank loan officer, as they are very keen on retaining customers.

Equity Line Of Credit provides detailed information on Equity Line Of Credit, Home Equity Line Of Credit, Commercial Equity Line Of Credit, Best Home Equity Line Of Credit and more. Equity Line Of Credit is affiliated with Financial Freedom Resources.