| Each week, Bankrate.com surveys mortgage experts to
gauge the state of mortgage rates over the next 30 to 45 days: Will rates rise,
fall or remain relatively unchanged? |
|
This week (March 9 - March 15) the experts say:
Lock it in. Rates will continue to rise. |
| | PANEL:
| |
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Down: 17%
|
Up:
66% |
Unchanged:
17% |
|
| This week, two-thirds of the panelists believe mortgage
rates will rise over the next 35 to 45 days. The rest are evenly split
among those who think rates will fall and those who believe rates
will remain relatively unchanged (plus or minus 2 basis points). |
|
Graph
the trend for mortgages
Archive
of Rate Trend Index columns
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| EXPERT'S COMMENTS: |
|
"Rates
may continue to drift sideways at these levels for a while. The
range should be fairly tight, so I don't expect to see any major
movements either way in the meantime."
-- Jason P. Flurry, president, Legacy
Partners Financial Group, Woodstock, Ga.
 RATE
VOTE: Unchanged
|
|
"Been
heading up, if the 10-year holds 4.75 percent we could see it come
down in the next few weeks, but if not -- they are shooting higher.
Long-term trend is higher."
-- Brian Peart, president, Nexus Financial,
Atlanta
 RATE
VOTE: Up
|
|
"The
Treasury market is having a hard time dealing with a lot of the
global issues (dollar value, China, Japan), geopolitical unrest,
as well as the apparent economic strength domestically. This is
causing the market to play very defensively. The employment number
on Friday will be the next big indicator."
-- Jim Svinth, chief economist, LendingTree.com,
Charlotte, N.C.
RATE
VOTE: Up
|
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|
• Ready to buy? Save money by using our
mortgage
rate search tables to find the best deal.
|
|
| BANKRATE'S
ANALYSTS: |
"Even with the run-up
in long-term rates over the past week, the yield curve is remarkably
flat. With expectations of further Fed rate hikes beyond March, the
risk of higher long-term rates remains, so be ready to lock on any
pullback in the interim."
-- Greg McBride, CFA, senior financial analyst,
Bankrate.com
 RATE
VOTE: Down
|
"No matter what the Federal
Reserve does, I expect mortgage rates to go up. If the Fed raises
short-term rates March 28 and hints that it will raise rates again
May 10, that will gradually boost rates across the board. If the Fed
leads investors to believe that it won't raise rates again May 10,
the market will worry about inflation, and in reaction, mortgage rates
will rise. Often a big jump in rates is followed by a smaller decrease.
That might happen here, but it won't be much of a decrease, and it
won't linger."
-- Holden Lewis, senior reporter, Bankrate.com
RATE
VOTE: Up
| |
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• | ................................ About
the Bankrate.com Rate Trend Index
Bankrate.com
surveys more than 100 experts in the banking and mortgage fields to see if they
believe certificate of deposit and mortgage rates will rise, fall or remain relatively
unchanged. For the deposit index, the panel comprises banks, thrifts and credit
unions that directly offer FDIC-insured certificates of deposit to the end consumer.
For the mortgage index, the panel comprises mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers
and other industry experts who provide residential first mortgages to consumers.
Results from Bankrate.com's CD
Rate Trend Index will be released each Wednesday. Results from Bankrate.com's
Mortgage Rate Trend Index will be released each Thursday.
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