National Debt, Home Sales and Values, Mortgage Rates
US Debt hits $40T and is currently increasing at $2T per year. Currently our debt service is over $1T annually (in interest), the second largest budgetary item after social security (which we pay into a specific account with payroll tax). In the previous 9 years the debt has doubled, increasing $20T. This will continue to […]
Mortgage Rates, Retail Sales, Home Values
Mortgage Rates The price of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) improved marginally this week. More importantly, we broke above the 25-day moving average, and a close above that level today would mark the first meaningful stretch above the moving average since June. Rates are currently about 1/8% higher than they were at this time last year. Retail […]
BLS Jobs Report, Mortgage Rates and Applications, Labor Costs
Mortgage Rates and the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities (MBS) improved very slightly this week but remain on a downward slope. Rates are up from last year by approximately 1/8% Jobs – The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) released their July Jobs Report which showed a loss of 23,000. The BLS further revised lower the […]
Mortgage Rates & Apps, Inflation, Rents, Home Values, and Oil.
Mortgage Rates – the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities and mortgage rates worsened again this week to the worst levels we have seen since July 2025. Oil inflation continues to plague mortgage rates. Inflation – the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index showed that all-in inflation fell 0.1% during June and fell from 4.1% to 3.7% year over […]
Mortgage Rates and Applications, New Home Sales, Home Equity, and Oil Prices
Mortgage Rates and the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities worsened again this week, maintaining the July trend. Oil prices continue to dominate the rate/inflation conversation. Mortgage rates are now similar to where they were one year ago, essentially the highest levels we have seen in the previous year. New Home Sales – signed contracts on new […]
Mortgage Rates and Apps, Starts, Permits, and Pendings, Inflation
Mortgage Rates improved marginally this week as the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities (MBS) bounced back from a rough start this week. Oil price inflation uncertainty continues to plague the MBS market. Rates are lower by 1/8% from this time last year. Pending Sales fell 5.4% last month (due to higher rates in May in June), […]
Mortgage Rates & Applications, Producer Inflation, Homes Sales
Mortgage Rates and the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities improved marginally this week. There is still optimism of a conflict resolution in Iran. rates are down approximately 0.5% from this time last year. Inflation – the BLS released their Producer Price Index which showed that headline inflation rose 1.1%, hotter than estimates of 0.7%. Year over […]
Mortgage Rates & Applications, Home Values, Home Price Expectations, Rents, Inflation (PCE)
Mortgage Rates improved slightly this week as investors hope there will be a conflict resolution that helps with oil prices. Mortgage rates are down 0.375% from this time last year. Home Values – Case-Shiller released their home price index for March which showed home values rose 0.7%, but when adjusted for seasonality they declined 0.2%. […]
Mortgage Rates and Applications, New Construction, & Pending Sales
Mortgage Rates and the price of Mortgaged-Backed Securities moved sideways this week and are down about 0.25% from this time last year. New Construction – the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their Builder Confidence report for May. It came in better than expected but it is still at low levels (anything under 50 […]
New Fed Chair Starts, Mortgage Rates & Applications, Home Sales, and Inflation
Mortgage Rates worsened this week as the price of oil and inflation indices continue to climb. Rates are down 0.25% from this time last year. Fed Chair – Kevin Warsh returns to the board after a 16-year hiatus. He was confirmed as the new Fed Chair late last month and had his first day in […]