Seemingly overnight, there is widespread media attention on the spread between mortgage rates and the 10yr Treasury yield. There shouldn’t be. Why are we talking about the 10yr Treasury yield if we’re focused on mortgages and housing?  Simply put, the 10yr Treasury note is the most dominant benchmark (touchstone, bellwether, yard stick, etc) for all…

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The astonishing pace of the recent drop in interest rates has raised some questions regarding sustainability and justification, but we can clear them up with a single chart. The Federal Reserve doesn’t ultimately dictate rate levels, but it has a huge impact on how rates move.  The Fed has been credited with fueling the improvements…

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We came into this week expecting the Fed’s Dot Plot to set the tone, or at least to create a good amount of movement in rates, and that’s exactly what happened. The dot plot refers to a chart that appears 4 times a year in economic projections released by the Fed.  Projections are not the…

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It was mostly a great week for mortgage rates with the average lender near the best levels in months through Thursday. Friday’s jobs report pushed rates back up a bit, but not excessively. Next week’s two big ticket events could set the tone for the rest of the year. Ultimately, that’s exactly what’s at stake.…

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