The RDS Business Intelligence team recently updated its Econometrix Tableau real estate workbooks.
CLICK HERE to check out all of RDS’s Tableau Workbooks.
MORTGAGE RATES
The average, 30-year fixed mortgage rate at the end of March was 4.17%, up 11% versus a month ago. For perspective, the March rate is up 33.6% versus the average rate of 3.12% for the 2020s to date. Below we put mortgage rates in context, looking back 50 yeas, by decade:
- 2020s: 3.12%
- 2010s: 4.09%
- 2000s: 6.29%
- 1990s: 8.12%
- 1980s: 12.70%
- 1970s: 8.90%
The 5-decade average is 7.78%.
MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports weekly on two types of mortgage applications:
- MBA Purchase Index: The Purchase Index is a leading indicator of home sales by 4-6 weeks, meaning that it is a predictor of housing activity. Housing economists and home builders use the index to forecast new and existing home sales.
- MBA Refinance Index: The Refinance Index is a tool to predict mortgage activity. Homebuilders pay attention to the Refinance Index because it is a leading indicator of home sales. On the other hand, mortgage investors also take notice of the index as it is a leading indicator of mortgage pre-payment activity.
MBA Purchase Index
As of March 25, the Purchase Index sits at 267.1%. This is down about 7% from a month earlier, and 10% versus a year ago.
MBA Refinance Index
The Refinance Index was at 1295, or a drop of 23% versus a month ago. For perspective, March’s index is 80% lower than the 14-year high of 6,419 which we saw in March, 2020.
HOME SALES
NOTE: Home sale data lags by several months, so our current Tableau viz is based on the most recent, seasonally-adjust home sales. Seasonally-adjusted home sales for February came in at 722,000, down 10% from a month earlier, and down 25% from the same month a year ago. Current home sales are still down 29% from the 14-year high of 1,021,000 which was hit in March 2021.
Again, for an interactive look at all of the topics discussed above, as well as other aspects of the U.S. economy, visit our Tableau Public site.
To learn more about the RDS Business Intelligence team, contact:
Kacey Rask : Vice-President, Portfolio Servicing
[email protected] / 513.489.8877, ext. 261
