Mortgage Rates Increase This Week as Fed Raises Interest Rates

Mortgage rates increased again this week to the highest level this year. We expected mortgage rates to increase because the Federal Reserve increased the fed funds rate by 25 basis points last week. Mortgage rates today on 30 year conforming loans are currently at 4.57 percent.

The fed funds rate was increased on September 27th to a level of 2.00 percent to 2.25 percent. Since the increase happened a few days ago, we believe the 0.25 percent increase isn't fully reflected in current mortgage rates. Average 30 year rates will move towards 4.65 to 4.75 percent in the coming weeks.





While the average 30 year rate is at 4.57 percent, there are lenders offering rates lower than average. The lowest rates in our database with no points are around 4.375 percent, about 20 basis points lower than the average. If you're willing to pay points, you can get an ever lower rate.

Lenders Offer Lower Mortgage Rates

Garden State Home Loans is currently quoting 30 year refinance rates with .10 points at 4.125 percent. GSHL's rate is almost .50 percent lower than the current average rate. Getting a quarter point lower mortgage for one tenth point is a great deal.

Average 15 year conforming rates also shot higher this week. The current average 15 year rate is at 3.93 percent, up 10 basis points from the prior week's average rate of 3.83 percent. We expect average 15 year rates to move above 4.00 percent in the coming weeks.

Right now, the best 15 year mortgage rate in our database is much lower than the average rate. The lowest current rate offered by Sebonic is at 3.24 percent with 1.10 mortgage points. The lowest rate without points is at 3.75 percent, still below the average rate.

Unfortunately, the days of getting the lowest mortgage rates are over. Rates will continue to move higher for the rest of this year and in 2019. Although rates are off  of their all-time lows, historically speaking, current rates are still good. Go back a decade and average 30 year rates were above 5.00 percent. If you go back even further to the early 1980s, the highest average 30 year rate was above 17 percent.