What Will Mortgage Rates Do in 2018?
LOUISIANA REALTORS • January 30, 2018
Over the past several years homebuyers have enjoyed record low mortgage rates. As the economy continues to recover and thrive after the recession, the threat of increasing interest rates has grown. While the escalation has been small, it doesn’t take much of a change on either side of the decimal point to mean big dollars over the next 30 years. So what does the mortgage
rate landscape have in store for 2018?
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Simply put, rates will be increasing. In 2017 there was a slight increase in March when rates peaked at 4.44%, before ending the year at 4.15%. This year they are expected to increase by about one half of one percent. With this forecasted rate hike, securing a mortgage now, before the increase, could save you thousands of dollars.
Here are a few predictions for 2018:
Mortgage Bankers Association: 4.6%
National Association of REALTORS®: 4.5%
REALTOR®.com: 4.6% average, reaching 5% by the end of 2018.
If you are considering purchasing a new home this year, there is no time like the present to take advantage of these historically low rates. It’s always a good idea to secure your financing before you begin shopping ; and trusting a REALTOR® to help you through this process can ensure a smooth transaction.
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