This week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 5.78%, a significant jump from last week’s 5.23%. According to Freddie Mac, this is the largest one-week rate jump since 1987. Average 15-year fixed and 5/1 adjustable rates also experienced significant increases.
Though the weekly average is up, mortgage rates have inched back down a bit today after spiking earlier this week.
The
Federal Reserve
met this week and voted to enact a 75 basis point, or 0.75%, increase to the federal funds rate. Mortgage rates aren’t directly influenced by the federal funds rate, but expectations around Fed policy and how it might impact the broader economy can push rates up or down. After the release of last week’s Consumer Price Index report, which showed inflation getting worse, markets began pricing in the likelihood that the central bank would vote for a larger than expected rate hike. This pushed mortgage rates up.
“With the Fed announcing a 75 basis point hike, the largest since 1994, we should expect continued
volatility
over the coming days and weeks, as the market continues to reprice and tries to settle in at these rate levels,” says Robert Heck, vice president of mortgage at Morty.
Mortgage rates today
Mortgage refinance rates today
Mortgage calculator
Use our free mortgage calculator to see how today’s mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments.
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$1,161
Your estimated monthly payment
- Paying a 25% higher down payment would save you $8,916.08 on interest charges
- Lowering the interest rate by 1% would save you $51,562.03
- Paying an additional $500 each month would reduce the loan length by 146 months
By plugging in different term lengths and interest rates, you’ll see how your monthly payment could change.
Are mortgage rates going up?
Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021, and may continue to increase throughout 2022. This is in part due to high levels of inflation and policy response to rising prices.
In the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index rose by 8.6%. The Federal Reserve has been working to get inflation under control, and plans to increase the federal funds target rate four more times this year, following increases in March, May, and June.
Though not directly tied to the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are often pushed up as a result of Fed rate hikes. As the central bank continues to tighten monetary policy to lower inflation, it’s likely that mortgage rates will remain elevated.
What do high rates mean for the housing market?
When mortgage rates go up, home shoppers’ buying power decreases, as more of their anticipated housing budget has to go toward paying interest. If rates get high enough, buyers can get priced out of the market completely, which cools demand and puts downward pressure on home price growth.
However, that doesn’t mean home prices will fall — in fact, they’re expected to rise even more this year, just at a slower pace than what we’ve seen in the past couple of years.
Even with fewer buyers in the market, those who can afford to buy will still be competing over historically low inventory. When there are more buyers than there are houses available, home prices go up. So while conditions may loosen up a bit due to high rates, we aren’t likely to see a significant drop in prices.
What is a good mortgage rate?
It can be hard to know if a lender is offering you a good rate, which is why it’s so important to get preapproved with multiple
mortgage lenders
and compare each offer. Apply for preapproval with at least two or…