Foreclosure Watch: 30-year Fixed Rate Mortgages Continues to Drop

Freddie Mac announced that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell further after its 11 week decline. 30-year-fined mortgage rates are now at 4.96 percent, averaging at 0.7 point, for the week that ended January 15. It is actually down by 0.4 percent from last week’s 5.0 percent. This must really sound good to the foreclosure-risked.

The 30-year fixed rate loans have not been this low since Freddie Mac initiated the Primary Mortgage Market Survey almost 28 years ago.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also dropped, by 0.3 percent, from 4.65 percent to 4.62 percent. While ARMs or annually re-adjustable mortgages slumped 0.6 percent from 4.95 to 4.89 percent.

But the biggest drop occurred in the 5/1 ARM, or the 5-year fixed rate mortgages then becomes adjustable annually, are now at 5.25 percent. It has the biggest drop of 0.24 from the previous week’s 5.49 percent.

Mortgage rates has been plummeting since the Federal Reserve announced its plans of buying $500 billion worth of mortgage securities supported by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Ginny Mae to give out some foreclosure aid. This wishes to involve buying $100 billion worth of debt by the repossession-risked to Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

For a great side effect, lower mortgage rates must stimulate the housing industry. But unfortunately there is just a minimal impact on home purchase, showing poor signs of recovery. If more homes are taken out from the market, it would have some benefits in mending the effects of foreclosure.

Lower mortgages interest rates made an opportunity to refinance home loans. This would be the perfect time to avail a mortgage at these good rates. More reasonable mortgages are easier to manage, thereby decreasing the homebuyer’s risk to foreclosure.

With the continuing downfall of the economy and the rampant unemployment, the tight-fisted homeowners may feel some relief, especially those with impending foreclosure or are afraid to experience repossession due to unmanageable loans.