Federal Open Market Committee | M Squared Real Estate

Apr 29

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 29, 2013

April 29, 2013 By Joshua Oliver Leave a Comment

Mortgage rates fell again last week and are again near record lows. According to Freddie Mac, the average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage did achieve a record low of 2.61 percent as compared to 3.1 percent one year ago. The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell to 3.40 percent and near the record low of 3.31 percent. Low mortgage rates are helping homeowners with refinancing and are boosting housing markets as more buyers can qualify for mortgage loans. Home … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Consumer Confidence, Economy, Fannie Mae, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Open Market Committee, Financial News, Freddie Mac, Friday, mortgage rates, National Association of Realtors, U.S. Housing Market

Oct 24

Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (October 24 , 2012)

October 24, 2012 By Jessica Wilkie Leave a Comment

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent Wednesday. For the ninth consecutive meeting, the vote was nearly unanimous. And, also for the ninth consecutive meeting, Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker was the lone dissenter in the 9-1 vote. The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008. In its press release, the Federal Reserve noted that, since its last meeting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Ben Bernanke, Eurozone, Fed Funds Rate, Federal funds rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, mortgage, Mortgage loan, QE3, washington dc

Oct 22

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : October 22, 2012

October 22, 2012 By Justin Paulhamus Leave a Comment

Mortgage markets worsened last week as hope for a European economic rebound and stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data moved investors out of mortgage-backed bonds. Mortgage rates all of types -- conventional, FHA and VA -- lost ground last week, harming home affordability in DC and reducing purchasing power nationwide. Rising rates also thwarted would-be refinancing households hoping to time a market bottom. The increase runs counter to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: District of Columbia, Federal Open Market Committee, FOMC, Freddie Mac, mortgage, mortgage rates, New Home Sales, Purchasing Power, washington dc

Oct 05

Fed Minutes Detail QE3 Discussion; Mortgage Rates Down

October 5, 2012 By Joshua Oliver Leave a Comment

The minutes from the Federal Reserve's September Federal Open Market Committee meeting were released Thursday. The Fed Minutes detail the discussions and debates which shaped the central banker's launch of its third round of qualitative easing since 2008. The minutes also give Wall Street insight into future monetary policy. At 6,987 words, the Fed Minutes provides a level of detail that was unavailable via the FOMC's post-meeting press release, a documen that, by contrast, ran 562 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Ben Bernanke, Central Bank, Economic, Fed Minutes, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, QE3

Sep 13

Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (September 13 , 2012)

September 13, 2012 By Joshua Oliver Leave a Comment

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent Thursday. For the eighth consecutive meeting, the vote was nearly unanimous. Just one FOMC member, Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker, dissented in the 9-1 vote. The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008. In its press release, the Federal Reserve noted that the U.S. economy has been expanding "at a moderate pace" in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC, Selling Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Eurozone, Fed, Fed Funds Rate, Federal funds rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, Mortgage loan, QE3

Sep 13

FOMC Expected To Announce New Stimulus Today

September 13, 2012 By Jessica Wilkie Leave a Comment

The Federal Open Market Committee ends a 2-day meeting today, the group's sixth of 8 scheduled meetings this year. As a DC home buyer or would-be refinancer, be ready for mortgage rates to change. The Federal Open Market Committee is a 12-person sub-committee of the Federal Reserve. Led by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, it's the group within the Fed tasked with voting on U.S. monetary policy. The act for which the FOMC is most well-known is its management of the Fed Funds Rate. The Fed Funds … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC, Selling Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Ben Bernanke, Fed Funds Rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, Mortgage loan, mortgage rates, QE3, stimulus, Wall Street

Sep 10

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : September 10, 2012

September 10, 2012 By Justin Paulhamus Leave a Comment

Mortgage markets worsened slightly in last week's holiday-shortened week. As expected, Wall Street took its cues from Europe and from the U.S. jobs market, and mortgage rates moved across a wide range. Home buyers in DC and would-be refinancing households were greeted with wildly varying mortgage rates, depending on which day they loan-shopped. According to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey, 30-year fixed rate mortgage rates averaged 3.55% nationwide last week, with an accompanying … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: ECB, European Central Bank, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, Freddie Mac, Mortgage loan, Point (mortgage), Wall Street

Aug 17

Mortgage Rates Rise For Third Straight Week

August 17, 2012 By Jessica Wilkie Leave a Comment

Mortgage rates in DC keep on rising. According to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, for the third straight week, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose, this time tacking on 3 basis points on a week-over-week basis to 3.62%, on average, nationwide. The 3.62% mortgage rate is available to mortgage applicants willing to pay 0.6 discount points plus a full set of closing costs. Freddie Mac's published mortgage rates are compiled from a 125-bank … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: 30-Year Fixed, Ben Bernanke, Federal Open Market Committee, Fixed rate mortgage, Freddie Mac, Mortgage loan, North Central Region, PMMS, Point (mortgage)

May 18

Is More Fed-Led Stimulus On Its Way?

May 18, 2012 By Jessica Wilkie Leave a Comment

The Federal Open Market Committee released its April 2012 meeting minutes this week, revealing a Federal Reserve in the ready in the event additional monetary stimulus is needed. The Fed Minutes function much like the minutes from a business meeting; or, condominium association meeting, for example. It's a detailed review of the conversations and debates between FOMC members, and is typically published 3 weeks after a Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed Minutes is a follow-up statement on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Fed Funds Rate, Fed Minutes, Federal funds rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve System, FOMC, Mortgage loan, washington dc

Apr 24

The Fed Starts A 2-Day Meeting Today. Make A Strategy.

April 24, 2012 By Mark Mlakar Leave a Comment

The Federal Open Market Committee begins a 2-day meeting today in the nation's capitol. It's the group's third of 8 scheduled meetings this year. Mortgage rates are expected to change upon the Fed's adjournment. Led by Chairman Ben Bernanke, the FOMC is a 12-person, Federal Reserve sub-committee. The FOMC is the group within the Fed which votes on U.S. monetary policy. "Making monetary policy" can mean a lot of things, and the action for which the FOMC is most well-known is its setting of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Real Estate in Washington, DC Tagged With: Ben Bernanke, District of Columbia, Fed Funds Rate, Federal funds rate, Federal Open Market Committee, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve System, Fixed rate mortgage, FOMC, Mortgage loan, washington dc