Mortgage rates hit a three-year low earlier this week, so is it time to refinance? That’s a tough question for one in four homeowners who don’t even know what their current rate is.
Around 27 percent of homeowners who responded to a Bankrate study said they don’t know what the interest rate is on their home, according to Fox Business. A third of homeowners between age 29 and 39 didn’t know their rate and 23 percent of people aged 56 to 74 don’t know their rate, the survey found.
The 30-year fixed-average fell to 3.45 percent this week, nearly a full percentage point below this time last year, and the lowest rate since the fall of 2016.
The lack of knowledge of some homeowners could lead to serious financial consequences for them. Around 11 million people could refinance their mortgages at current rates and save an average of $268 per month. Homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages could find themselves unprepared for hikes.
Mortgage rates rose through 2018 as the Federal Reserve raised their benchmark interest rate, which heavily informs mortgage rates. That worried builders, who figured higher rates would discourage buyers, particularly those who live in areas with historically high home prices like Los Angeles.
The Fed steadied and then began dropping its interest rate last summer, bringing down mortgage rates with it. The benchmark rate has been 1.55 since November.
Buyer sentiment has been strong this winter, prompting more open houses than usual across the country. Low rates are expected to drive strong activity in the typically slow first quarter. [Fox Business] – Dennis Lynch
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