12.8 % Increase in Mortgage Applications

There is large jump for 2 reasons. The first is consumers are taking advantage of historically low interest rates hovering in the 4% range. Second is the affordability of residential homes in Ocala, Belleview, Dunnellon, Salt Spring, Fort McCoy, Sparr, Anthony, Citra and several other areas.  Mortgage application can be a future gauge of home buying reported by Mortgage Bankers Association report for the week ending Dec. 2. Applications jumped 8. % from a week earlier while refinance soared to 15.3 %.

The reports  states 85.5 % were for fixed-rate 30 year loans.

“Coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday, applications increased significantly as mortgage rates dropped to their lowest levels in about two months,” Michael Fratantoni, MBA vice president of research and economics, said in a statement. “In particular, refinance applications increased sharply, with some lenders seeing refinance volume double. Despite this surge, aggregate refinance activity is still below levels reported two weeks ago. Some lenders indicated they are beginning to see an increase in HARP loans, but that increase is still a small portion of the move this week.”

Source: “Mortgage Applications Jump 12.8% as Refinancing Volume Soars,” HousingWire (Dec. 7, 2011)

“Until Next Time”