News flash: June Building Permits abruptly fell at the fastest pace in more than 2 years to their lowest levels in 2 years! Time to stick a fork in the housing market? Not exactly…
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
The Other Side of This Week's Scary Housing News

There is a lot of confusion about Fed rate cuts/hikes as they relate to mortgage rates. Too frequently, media coverage suggests a Fed rate cut would coincide with lower mortgage rates and vice versa. But in practice it can be just the opposite!
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Why a Fed Rate Cut Might Mean Higher Rates

Interest rates have been on a tear. They’ve fallen as faster and farther than at any other time in the past 8 years. By some measures, they’ve managed to maintain positive momentum for as long as they ever do. This naturally begs the question: is it time for a bounce?
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Jobs Report Fires Warning Shot For Rates

Rates are low! How low are they? How fast have they fallen? Are mortgage rates keeping pace with rates in general? And what’s the implication of all this?
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Rates Are Low. They're Also High. What's Up With That?

This week’s policy announcement from the Federal Reserve (aka “The Fed”) was hotly anticipated. Markets have increasingly predicted Fed rate cuts in 2019 for a variety of reasons and this was the Fed’s first chance to address the most rapid change in those expectations.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Fed Confirms Market's Hopes, But There's a Catch

You’ve heard of time healing all wounds, but what about low rates healing the mortgage and housing markets? It’s not that either was particularly distressed, but both have benefited in a major way from the recent drop in rates. Perhaps even more important has been rates’ ability to HOLD at or near long-term lows for 2 full weeks now.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Low Rates Lighting a Fire Under Housing/Mortgage Markets

There are refi booms and then there are refi booms. Numbers were never higher than they were on several weeks in 2009 and they were never “extremely elevated for nearly 2 years” like they were from August 2011 through May 2013. It would take some doing to get back to those levels, but relative to the past few years of refi demand, things are picking up quickly.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Time For the Next Refi Boom?

Financial markets went on a fairly wild ride last week as weak manufacturing data combined with geopolitical news to lead a reversal in stocks and bonds by Friday. By Thursday of this week, we already had just as much volatility, but Friday took everyone by surprise–at least as far as rates were concerned.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Another Wild Week Leaves Rates at Long-Term Lows

Two key home sales reports came out this week. Both were weaker than expected. But that doesn’t mean the housing market is weakening.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Let's Put "Weaker" Home Sales in Perspective

Last week saw an unexpected drop in rates as trade war headlines rocked financial markets. Things looked set to calm down this week, but the drama continued. This time around, mortgage rates were able to keep slightly better pace with the broader bond market. The result is a return to levels that are very close to the lowest in more than a year.
Source: Kevin Litwicki Universal Lending
Rates Near Lowest Levels in Over a Year