Fixed rate mortgages hit new low

According to a recent article by the Associated Press, Fixed-rate mortgage rates fell last week to the lowest levels in 60 years. The average interest rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is now 4.12%, Freddie Mac said last week. It is the lowest rate on record since 1971, and the cheapest rates since 1951.  Furthermore, the average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages was below 5% for all but two weeks over the past five years. Similarily, the average interest rate on a 15 year fixed rate mortgage is 3.33%, also the lowest rate since the record keeping began in 1991.

HOWEVER…..These record low rates have done very little to re-energize the depressed housing market. Sales of new homes are on track to finish the year as the lowest on record in 50 years. The pace of re-sale homes aren’t doing much better – they are the worst in 14 years.

WHY…….Nation wide, an uncertain economy along with high unemployment have discouraged many Americans from taking advantage of these low rates. Additionally, many Americans have seen little wage increases and as a result of the economic climate, many are saddled by large personal debt. None the less, many can’t even qualify for loans at these low rates. Many banks are now insisting on higher credit scores and a 20% down payment for first-time homebuyers. According to a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling,  just 1/2 of Americans say they will ever be able to saive enough money for any type of down payment, let alone a 20% down payment. Further, only 40% of US households have the necessary credit scores above 700 to receive a prime mortgage rate, according to an Associated Press analysis of Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) data.   Many repeat buyers do not have enough equity built up in their homes to meet loan requirements. Most alarming, accroding to the real estate research firm CoreLogic, about 1/3 of American homeowners have nearly zero equity or are underwater in their mortgage.

Low interest rates usually encourage many to buy real estate, many middle and lower class Americans can’t take advantage of these record low rates. If you are able to qualify for these prime rates, there are many opportunties available. Here in Jackson Hole, there are several opportunities to purchase bank owned homes or lender approved short sale properties.

Contact us, The Gillespie Real Estate Team at Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty  at garth.gillespie@jhsir.com for a list of bank owned opportunties in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Mortgage Rates in Jackson Hole – It’s Been a While…Has Anything Changed?

Mortgage rates in Jackson Hole had been staying steady for almost a month with a percentage change every once in a while so this should be interesting…. The following is a report from our friend T.R. Pierce who works as the “Mortgage Guru” at the Bank of Jackson Hole. If you read previous posts you will be able to compare where rates have been are then make your own prediction as to where they are going. Fact is – rates are low and if you have good credit you should take advantage of these rates while you can. Timing mortgage rates is like timing the stock market so if you see value in making a purchase or refinancing we suggest you call T.R. Pierce to learn more about the Jackson Hole Mortgage Rates! T.R.’s report follows:

Conforming thirty year fixed, 7/1 and 10/1 ARM rates are down this morning as the U. S. trade gap widened less than expected in March as exports fell 2.4% and imports dropped for the eighth consecutive month. Imports of industrial supplies, materials and capital goods were the lowest since April 2004. U. S. exports to China grew 19.1% in March to $5.6 billion, the highest in five months.

BANK OF JACKSON HOLE
Residential Mortgage Rates for May 12, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $625,500
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING

(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
4.500%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.375%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
4.750%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
4.250%
5.000%

5/1 ARM
3.750%
4.750%

3/1 ARM
5.000%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 4.750%
PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 1.748%

For more information contact the Jackson Hole Experts toll free at 877-739-8056 and ask for Garth!

Mortgage Rates in Jackson Hole, Wyoming — March 19, 2009

Rates are dropping!

The story in Yahoo goes as follows – Rates on 30-year mortgages plunged this week to the lowest level since January, and are poised to fall further after the Federal Reserve launched a new effort to prop up the flailing housing market.

T.R. Pierce’s report from the Bank of Jackson Hole tells a similar story with rates in Jackson Hole also falling. Christy and Garth Gillespie from Sotheby’s International Realty Jackson Hole are seeing prices fall throughout the market. The Jackson real estate market has probably reached a bottom as far as activity is concerned with only 3 deals in February so now is the time to start watching the market!

T.R. Pierce’s – Bank of Jackson Hole mortgage report: Interest rates are lower this morning as initial claims for unemployment benefits fell last week. Claims for unemployment were down 12,000 from the previous week and there are 5,473,000 people receiving unemployment benefits. But, there are still 141,748,000 Americans with jobs that are keeping our economy going and growing every day!

Residential Mortgage Rates for March 19, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $625,500
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING
(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
4.625%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.500%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.000%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
4.750%
5.000%

5/1 ARM
4.000%
4.750%

3/1 ARM
5.000%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 5.000%
PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 2.006%

Thanks T.R.! If you are looking for more information about the Jackson Hole real estate market please feel free to call Garth and Christy Gillespie, the Jackson Hole Real Estate Experts, at Sotheby’s International Realty in Jackson Hole – 877-739-8056 (toll free). You can also visit our website as it is full of valuable information.

Jackson Hole Local Residential Mortgage Rates for March 6, 2009

One of the finest loan representatives in the Jackson Hole area is T.R. Pierce from the Bank of Jackson Hole. T.R. Pierce is the senior vice president loan officer at the largest “local” bank in Jackson Hole and for the past few years has been educating the Jackson Hole real estate agents on the current local mortgage rates. As part of our weekly updates we will be posting T.R.’s report about once a week. This should give readers a good idea of local rates. We of course recommend calling T.R. Pierce, SVP Residential Loans, 307.734.8111 for an appointment if you would like additional information on mortgages. Today’s report is below:

Conforming fixed rates are unchanged while conforming ARM rates are down this morning after it was reported that the unemployment rate rose to 8.1% with 651,000 people loosing their jobs in February. Even as the unemployment rate reaches the highest mark since December 1983… there are still 141,748,000 gainfully employed Americans working hard everyday!

BANK OF JACKSON HOLE

Residential Mortgage Rates for March 6, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $625,500
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING
(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
4.875%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.625%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.250%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
5.000%
5.000%

5/1 ARM
4.000%
4.750%

3/1 ARM
5.000%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 5.000%

PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 2.154%
Rates and fees are subject to change without notice. Annual Percentage Rates (APR) are not included.

For more information on Jackson Hole and the Jackson Hole real estate market please feel free to call or email the JacksonHoleExperts at 307-739-8056.

Mortgage Rates – Jackson Hole – Local Information provided by T.R. Pierce – February 19, 2009

One of the finest loan representatives in the Jackson Hole area is T.R. Pierce from the Bank of Jackson Hole. T.R. Pierce is the senior vice president loan officer at the largest “local” bank in Jackson Hole and for the past few years has been educating the Jackson Hole real estate agents on the current local mortgage rates. As part of our weekly updates we will be posting T.R.’s report about once a week. This should give readers a good idea of local rates. We of course recommend calling T.R. Pierce, SVP Residential Loans, 307.734.8111 for an appointment if you would like additional information on mortgages. Today’s report is below:

Interest rates are up this morning as the government’s measure of wholesale inflation rose more than expected in January. The Producer Price Index, which tracks the changes in selling prices for domestic producers, rose 0.8% last month… compared to a decline of 1.9% in December. Energy prices rose 3.7% prompted by a 15% increase in the gasoline prices, while food prices fell 0.4% compared to a 1.4% decline in December.

BANK OF JACKSON HOLE
Residential Mortgage Rates for February 19, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $625,500
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING
(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
4.875%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.625%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.625%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
5.500%
5.875%

5/1 ARM
4.625%
5.625%

3/1 ARM
5.375%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $625,500: 5.000%

PRIME RATE: 3.250%

ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 2.101%
Rates and fees are subject to change without notice. Annual Percentage Rates (APR) are not included.

For more information on the Jackson Hole real estate market please call Christy and Garth Gillespie, the Jackson Hole Real Estate Experts at 877-739-8056 or visit our website.

Local Jackson Hole Mortgage Rates and Information

One of the finest loan representatives in the Jackson Hole area is T.R. Pierce from the Bank of Jackson Hole. T.R. Pierce is the senior vice president loan officer at the largest “local” bank in Jackson Hole and for the past few years has been educating the Jackson Hole real estate agents on the current local mortgage rates. As part of our weekly updates we will be posting T.R.’s report about once a week. This should give readers a good idea of local rates. We of course recommend calling T.R. Pierce, SVP Residential Loans, 307.734.8111 for an appointment if you would like additional information on mortgages. Today’s report is below:

“Conforming fixed rates are down again this morning after it was announced that Treasury Secretary Geithner will present a financial sector stabilization plan that will include government guarantees of losses on some assets and greater assistance for troubled homeowners. Plans like the Federal Reserve’s Term Asset Backed Lending Facility (TALF) hold great promise for restarting private credit flows again. Buyers of triple-A rated securities backed by credit cards, student loans and other assets can swap those bonds for Treasury securities that they can use for new financing.”
Residential Mortgage Rates for February 10, 2009
The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $625,500

ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING

(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
4.750%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.625%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.750%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
5.500%
5.875%

5/1 ARM
4.625%
5.625%

3/1 ARM
5.375%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $625,500: 5.375%
PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 1.987%

Thanks T.R. for the report!

For more information on the Jackson Hole real estate market please feel free to call us – the JacksonHoleExperts at 877-739-8056 or visit or website at ChristyandGarth.com

A Question Many People Are Asking The Jackson Hole Experts: Should We Refinance?

Front Door of Brick HouseWhen refinancing your mortgage, you must look at the big picture to see if it really makes financial sense for you. Since rates are at an all time low, many people are considering it. Here are some ways to help you decide if it will benefit you or not.

If you have plans to pay off your mortgage in the next few years it makes no sense for you, as you will not be able to recover the re-financing fees in time. Same thing goes if you are planning to move in the next few years.

If you are planning to stay in your home for many years and currently have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, then refinancing to a 30-Year Fixed is a very good option for you. Refinancing may not lower your monthly payments by all that much, but you may sleep better knowing that those payments will never go up.

Another good reason to refinance is if you are currently paying a very high rate. A very good rule of thumb is to calculate your costs and make sure that you can earn back the roughly $2,000 in fees that you will pay, within two to three years.

Two other things to consider are that if you are paying less interest over time, you will pay more taxes. Also, money that you pay in refinancing fees could be invested instead. Think of the return on that sum you could earn over thirty years!

For additional information on refinacing in the Jackson Hole area the Jackson Hole Experts recommend you contact T.R. Pierce at the Bank of Jackson Hole at 307.734.8111 or John Curry at 307-733-5800 at Taylor Mortgage. For more information on the Jackson Hole real estate market please feel free to contact us – Garth and Christy Gillespie at 307-739-8056 or by email.