Current Home Loan Rates 5 Tips For Evaluating Today’s Average Rate

By Susan Willis

Going from being a renter to a homeowner is an impressive accomplishment that not everyone achieves in their lifetime. There is something very satisfying about having the knowledge that you have been able to work your way to the point where you can own your own home.

For someone who is one the verge of homeownership or who may be considering moving to a different home, you know how important getting a low home loan interest rate can be to the timing of your decision. Just a percentage point or two in either direction can make a huge difference in the total cost of your loan – as well as how much you have to pay each month in mortgage payments.

If you are interested in learning more about current home loan rates, here are 5 tips for how to evaluate today mortgage rate from an historical perspective:

1. Determine the type of loan for which you would like to compare interest rates:

The secret to making sense of current home loan rates is to understand them in their historical perspective. In other words, you need to look at how they are “trending,” meaning: are they generally higher or generally lower today than at various times in the recent past?

To do this type of research successfully, it is useful to start out by deciding what type of loan you believe you will be taking out when you apply for your mortgage. The most popular options are fixed rate mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs).

Specifically, the most popular four types of loans are: 30-year fixed rate, 15-year fixed rate, 5-year ARM and 1-year ARM. (Note that with an ARM, after the 5- or 1-year period goes by, the loan switches from being a fixed-rate loan to being an adjustable rate loan).

2. Look for historical trends for that rate:

Now that you have selected a certain loan type, you will want to take a look at two things:

* the current average interest rate for that loan type as it stands today

* how that interest looked at various points in the past, including over the past three months, one year, and 20 years

note: you can find some good historical charts by running a search for “historical average mortgage rates.”

3. Get a feel for how today’s rates compare to historical trends:

Now, ask yourself: how does today’s rate look generally as compared to each of those three periods of time – lower or higher? Obviously, if today’s rate seems low as compared to one or more of these historical views, it may be a sign that this is a good time to move forward with a home loan purchase.

4. Realize that the rate for which you qualify may be different than the average rates:

Of course, the home loan rate for which you will personally qualify depends on a combination of factors, including both today’s average mortgage interest rate and your own credit (FICO) score.

5. Apply to multiple home loan lenders in order to find the best rate:

To increase your chances of qualifying for the lowest-possible home mortgage rate, be sure to apply to at least 3-4 mortgage lenders. Only then can you be sure you have secured the very best rate.

Consider these 5 tips as you investigate the current home loan rate in the context of historical trends.

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Source:

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