Mortgage Rates: Great News Heading Into Spring Selling Season - Redfin Real Estate News

Mortgage Rates: Great News Heading Into Spring Selling Season

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Updated on October 6th, 2020

Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level in more than three years, reaching 3.62 percent, down from 3.65 percent last week. They’ve been falling all year and if history is any guide they might drop even more.

A year ago, the cost of a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.80 percent, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of lenders. Home loans today are also cheaper than they were in December, when the Federal Reserve raised its own short-term rates for the first time in almost a decade.

mortgage rates
Source: Freddie Mac

The market determines how much your home loan will cost, but a general rule of thumb is that mortgage rates move when 10-year Treasuries move.  And Treasuries have been dropping fast as global investors pour their money into the safety of government bonds. That means mortgages might fall more, too. 

mortgage rates
Source: Freddie Mac, Federal Reserve

Mortgages already have been getting cheaper all year, which has boosted home sales and prices. Last month, sales were up 6.7 percent from a year ago. Prices were nearly 8 percent higher and properties were moving quickly, according to Redfin’s Market Tracker. We expect a competitive market for buyers this year.

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Lorraine Woellert

Lorraine is enjoying her first real job after a career in journalism. She’s based in Washington, D.C., where she writes about housing and the economy. Before joining Redfin, Lorraine was at Bloomberg News reporting on politics, financial mayhem, housing and the economy. Her dream home is a top-floor loft with a pool, friendly neighbors and a terrace for throwing parties. Everyone's invited. Redfin is a full-service real estate brokerage that uses modern technology to make clients smarter and faster. For more information about working with a Redfin real estate agent to buy or sell a home, visit our "Why Redfin?," page.

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