It wouldn’t be 2018 in the housing market if there wasn’t at least one report painting a gloomier picture. Thankfully, there was only one this time around!
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Housing Showing Some Signs of Stabilizing

The rapid rise in rates has been a big problem for the housing and mortgage markets this year. Just last week, some reports suggested rates were near 8 year highs. The same sources reported that rates were ‘unchanged’ this week.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Rates Actually Fell to Recent Lows This Week

Are you mad? Whether you’re a housing/mortgage professional or simply a person who might like to buy/sell/refinance a house at some point in the near future, you have a right to be frustrated.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Who Gets The Blame For Higher Rates?

October has a bit of a reputation in financial markets as being more prone to volatility than most months. While there are solid theories as to why this is the case (earnings , start of Federal fiscal year, and even the timing of traders’ last summertime vacations), there’s no solid rhyme or reason as to how the volatility will play out.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Why Strong Job Gains Hurt Both Sides of The Market

It’s been all over the news in October, and before then in February: rising rates are causing heavy stock losses! The bigger the stock losses, the more rates get blamed. To some extent, and for some investors, that may be true, but it sure wasn’t true this week.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Here's Why You Can't Trust The News When it Comes to Stocks and Interest Rates

Times are tough, or at least tougher than they have been for the housing and mortgage markets. Rares are at 7 year highs, and home sales/prices are noticeably cooling. 2008 taught us to fear the worst at times like this, but there are some good reasons you probably shouldn’t.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
A Few Great Reasons Not to Lose Hope in Housing and Rates

If you’ve been anywhere close to the housing market over the past few years, you know mortgage rates have been rising. Last week brought one of the sharpest increases in years even as rates were already pushing long-term highs. Now this week’s massive stock sell-off dropped in to remind us that rates don’t always rise in a straight line.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Interest Rates Don’t Go Up In a Straight Line – Here’s Why

For the first time since early 2011, the average mortgage lender is quoting conventional 30yr fixed rates of 5.0%. This happened fairly quickly too, with 0.25% of the increase seen in the last 3 days of the week. What’s causing all this drama and is there any hope that it will subside?
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Rates Surged to 5% This Week. Is There Any Hope?

Interest rates are a hot topic right now, largely because they’re surging to the highest levels in years depending upon whom you ask and what type of rate you’re asking about. There is a lot of confusion and even some misinformation about exactly what rates are doing. Let’s clear that up.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Rates Spike Ahead of Fed. Is There Any Good News?

Last week, we talked about the unintended consequences of a strong economy with respect to higher wage growth pushing interest rates quickly higher. This week, it was more of the same.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Rates Paying Price For Sunny August