Admin

Mortgage Interest Rates - 10/14/08 - Be carful on advice given!!!!

By
Mortgage and Lending with Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

mortgage interest rates

Interest Rates - Mortgage Interest RatesCAUTION !!!!  ...... Anyone putting mortgage rate reports up, usually obtain their information from the 3 major leading services that pass this information out for a price. Most of your loan officers can't predict rates, let alone, many of these companies are just taking a stab at it.

If you see blogs or articles titled below, they are usually copied from a service :

Mortgage Rate Update

Daily Mortgage Rate Advisory

Interest Rate Lock Recommendation

Mortgage Rates Report

 

 

In my honest opinion of 16 years in the mortgage industry, 99% of these reports produced from loan officers are again, from paid services. Now, these mortgage rate services are not guaranteeing what they state, but several of them are very good. And they will give you advice on what to do or advise in a 60 day period, as I listed below.

 

In these reports, most times, you will see the loan officer write these 4 lines in their mortgage rate reports.....

  • Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days
  • Lock if my closing was taking place within 8 and 20 days
  • Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days
  • Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now

 

 

PLEASE READ THIS!!!! (it might be boring & long)- Why am I writing this? For two reasons

 

1.  Education -  I believe that the consumer needs to be aware that it's not your savvy loan officer that knows each and every market report out there, to establish this so-called expertise that is written on paper. There is just not enough time in the day to follow the market that closely, while still trying to be a loan officer.  Hence why there are services that provide this information. Hence why there are financial analysts that do this as a full time job. Do you see these same analysts on MSNBC or Bloomberg doing mortgages? no.... More on this later below.

 

2.  My other reason for bringing this up is that it's just advice, that could backfire. Yes, the market is volitile, especially more than ever. A great example of this is the advice to float if your closing is taking place 21 to 60 days from when these mortgage interest rate reports are written.  8 out of 10 times, you will see the author tell you to float rates for this time period. Because usually, the market will rebound some, and pricing will get better. Did you notice that I said usually twice. The word usually is just that, not guaranteed, a better than 50% chance. Rut row...

I locked a client in for 60 days on 9/5/08 at 6% with 1 pt and no mortgage fees on a $253,000 mortgage. They are closing on 10/21/08. Right now, that same rate is exactly 2 pts higher. Which means it would cost the buyer $5,060 more out of pocket. Or, to keep the costs the same and not charge the 2 pts, that rate would be another 3/8 percent to a 1/2 percent higher. Which means that their payment would be $65 to $87 more month. Ouch again.....

 

 

I am not knocking the loan officers that write these... but as stated, it's usually copied material or just material reworded.  Some might add their own two cents, but why even take that chance?  You want a loan officer that not only looks at these reports that are supplied by specialty companies, but someone that understands how the market works, how rates shift, and to know when they see a spread difference in a specific rate. Meaning, I can sometimes get the same deal on a 6.00% rate as I could on a 6.25% rate. Each increment of an 1/8 percent carries a different value. These are called pools on money.  And sometimes that value could be carried over to a lower rate. That is exactly what I did for these clients that I locked into at 6%. I found value in a better rate. I look at the different spreads each and every day.Many don't do this daily.

 

Just a FYI... I might piss off some of those that write those market reports. But a little secret.... these are usually used for searche engines, being searched on the internet.  They want tehir phones to ring or for you to e-mail them. Just my opinion of 16 years in the mortgage industry.

I am here to educate and to give you vital information, and not with blogs that just get good google juice. And those market reports that sound like they really know what they are doing?  You don't trust me on this?  Take a look at each report and put them side-by-side. You won't see much of a difference in how they are written. And the style will usually be the same, especially the rate lock or float advice. Because that is how the services send their reports out.

 

 



- FHA Loans  - Conventional Loans - VA Loans -

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information on how you can obtain your dream home, please click here : Mortgage Financing Options

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!!


Copyright © 2008 by Jeff Belonger

Posted by

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

follow Jeff Belonger on Twitter

 

The FHA Expert's fan page on Facebook     Add Jeff Belonger to your network @ LinkedIN

                                                                            FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- FHA Home Loans - Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

Follow me on:

Mortgage Myth Busters

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

HUD

 

For information about FHA myths & FHA rumors, please read : FHA Myths & Rumors

 

Copyright © 2011 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

Show All Comments Sort:
Fran Gaspari
Patriot Land Transfer, Inc. - Limerick, PA
"The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ

Jeff,

You're probably tired of hearing me say this but, consumers who are looking for a mortgage who 'shop rates' need more education and better be on their guard! If I were a consumer looking for a mortgage I would first put all my energies into finding someone professional whom I could trust, and then pray like my life depended on it!!! Thanks,   Fran 

Oct 14, 2008 05:43 AM
Ryan Shaughnessy
PREA Signature Realty - www.preasignaturerealty.com - Saint Louis, MO
Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner

Absolutely agree - I still can't understand how someone can simply call lender for rates and think that they are getting accurate rate quotation without supplying any credit or property information.  I believe that fees, customer service, product knowledge, etc. are as important and probably more important than just the rate.  Why entrust your loan with a complete stranger just because they had desk duty that day?

Oct 14, 2008 06:03 AM
Fran Gatti
RE/MAX Integrity - Medford, OR
Managing Principal Broker - RE/MAX Integrity

Good job Jeff.  Education is key right now.

Oct 14, 2008 06:06 AM
Richard Sweum
1st Security Bank - Everett, WA

Good stuff Jeff!  Thanks for your willingness to share solid information!

Oct 14, 2008 06:21 AM
Jeff Belonger
Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ
The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

 

I figured this one would be least commented on. Possibly even making those that post about this, not happy. But think about what you are posting and how you are posting it. Especially for those few that post about this every other day. Very simple posts that say almost the same things every day, you get 200 pts, and you all post them in the AR channels under mortgage/finance and the sub title of Interest Rates.  I might be sounding harsh here, but I have a problem with many of these posts, just as I mentioned in the post and in this comment.

 

FRAN.... no, I am not tired of hearing you say that, just as much as I am sure many people are tired of me preaching in a way. But this is what I see and I can see right through it for the most part, even though this is my opinion.  thanks

RYAN.....  well, this isn't really about quoting rates, but more so on those that write market reports and where they get their information from. They are getting 200 pts and most of the info that they put in the post, is information given from a source. Okay, maybe they change it up some, but as I mentioned, look at each one... you will see a pattern.... most of it is the same... especially the advice on whether to float or to lock.   But nobody puts a disclosure at the bottom of their posts saying where they got the information from.... and they get 200 pts. I would put money on it if they didn't get 200 pts, that they would stop posting these.

FRAN G. .....  I agree 110% and I don't want to come across all almighty and such... but I am going to be writing more posts like this and the good faith one that I wrote yesterday. The importance of good faith estimates and understanding them. There needs to be some semblance out there.  and thanks for the compliment.

RICH...... my pleasure and thanks for the compliment and for the support.

 

Oct 14, 2008 08:36 AM
Joe Adams
Major Mortgage USA/Branch Manager - Montrose, CO

Mr Jeff.........  agree and agree again......  rate shoppers beware.  I actually heard of some one using and quoting day old rates and on the GFE in the smallest font possible that you needed a magnifying glass to see "based on yesterdays rates".    Rate posters are only after the juice.....  I and I hope others want to be the best professional I can be and that means educating myself by reading and discussing issues with other professionals

Oct 14, 2008 10:29 AM
Ron Brown NMLS #270845
NMLS ID: 40831 - Federal Way, WA

Jeff,

I agree with you that most of what is "published" in the form of rate advisories is simply a re-wording, if not all out plagiarism of one of the float/lock advisories.  However, not all of us do it in this way.  I for one, was invited to AR by a realtor that had been receiving my daily updates as a service to pass along to his investors for many months prior to his invitation.  While you say there is not enough time in the day to truly keep up with all that is going on, I would basically agree.  There is an exception to this though.  Some of us truly live, and breath this stuff (I've been accused many times of being way to wrapped up in it), and in times like we have right now, I can't imagine not spending the extra hours each day reading the WSJ, Bloomberg, etc.  While I don't pretend to know everything, I will put my track record of posting advice up against any of the paid services, and I give this advice to all my clients at no charge.  I don't have enough page space to post all the testimonials I could from borrower's who have thanked me for my calls to tell them when to lock, and the amount of money it saved them from floating to long. 

Ron Brown

Oct 14, 2008 02:13 PM
Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner
Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners - Orlando, FL
Chris Brown 407.367.2974

i have made it a practice to never post rates online or to make static advice for the exact same reason.

 

thanks for this post.

 

chris

Oct 15, 2008 08:23 AM
Rebecca Anne Cole
PNC Mortgage - Timonium, MD

I have seen a lot of copy and paste rate material on blogs that is obviously from a paid service.  These services are meant to be a tool or guideline for lenders to use in addition to knowledge of how the market works for individual lock situations. Every lending scenario is different. Posting blanket material about interest rates (unless they are state mandated programs) is irresponsible in my opinion.  As always, great post.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.   

Oct 17, 2008 11:05 AM
Lisa Long
Heather Roda Broker - Paso Robles, CA

That is some solid advice!

Oct 17, 2008 12:06 PM
Anonymous
Deborah

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.


Deborah

http://termlifeinsurance2.com

Dec 19, 2008 01:59 PM
#11