Hillsboro Office 217-532-2525 | Litchfield Office 217-324-4663

Central IL Homes for SaleCentral IL Homes for Sale

  • Home
  • Search
    • Advanced Search
    • Hot Property Alerts
    • Map Search
    • Upcoming Auctions
    • Address Search
    • Trending Searches
    • My Account
  • Featured
    • Our Featured Properties
    • Our Featured Auctions
    • Open Houses
    • Virtual Tours
    • Current Solds
    • Schools
  • Areas
    • Hillsboro
    • Litchfield
    • Coffeen
    • Witt
    • Nokomis
    • Taylor Springs
    • Irving
    • Panama
    • Donnellson
    • Raymond
    • See All
  • Buy
    • Mortgage Calculator
    • Home Buyer Checklist
    • Local Links
    • Resources
  • Sell
    • What’s Your Home Worth?
    • Selling your Home at Auction
    • Seller Tips and Tools
    • Marketing Your Home
  • Rent
    • View all Rentals
    • Landlord List
  • Auctions
    • Upcoming Auctions
    • Selling your Home at Auction
    • Find out More!
  • Appraisals
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Agents
    • Client Reviews
    • Blog

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 31, 2014

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week March 31,2014

Last week’s economic news includes several reports about housing markets.

The S&P Case-Shiller 10 and 20 city housing market indices, the FHFA House Price Index, New Home Sales and Pending Home sales reports suggest that the national housing market continues to grow, but at lower rates.

Regional readings varied and suggested that winter weather was a negative influence on affected markets.

In a press conference held on March 19 Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that severe winter weather had interfered with the Fed’s ability to get a clear reading on economic developments.

The Case-Shiller 10 and 20-City Home Price Indices for January showed year-over-year growth of 13.50 and 13.20 percent respectively. The 20-City Home Price Index reported that 12 of 20 cities reported slower rates of home price appreciation.

The 10-City Index ticked upward, but was little changed. The 20-City index posted its third consecutive month-to-month decline in home prices with a reading of -0.10 percent.

Las Vegas, Nevada led cities posting gains with a month-to-month reading of +1.10 percent, but home values remain 45 percent below peak prices achieved in August 2006.

David M. Blitzer, chair of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, noted that home prices were up 23 percent over their lows in 2012.

FHFA Data Reflects Slower Growth in Home Prices

The FHFA House Price Index reports home price trends for sales of homes with mortgages owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. January’s data reported a year-over-year gain of 7.40 percent, which is approximately 8.0 percent below its peak in April 2007.

Month-to-month home prices varied within the nine U.S. Census regions and ranged from -0.30 percent to +1.30 percent.

FHFA reported that year-over-year, all nine regions reported gains in home prices that ranged from +3.20 percent in the Middle Atlantic region to 14.0 percent home price growth in the Pacific region.

New and Pending Home Sales Slow

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, February sales of new homes matched projections at 440,000 as compared to January’s revised reading of 455,000 new homes sold, which was a year-over-year high.

New home sales improved by 37 percent in the Midwest, but fell in the Northeast, South and West. This suggests that while winter weather played a role, but that housing markets are cooling in general.

Rising mortgage rates and concerns over new lending standards likely contributed to the drop in sales.

Pending home sales slumped in February according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

February’s index reading of 93.9 as compared to January’ index reading of 94.7 represented the eighth consecutive monthly drop for pending home sales and was the lowest reading since October 2011.

Pending home sales indicate future completed sales. Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist, noted that home sales delayed by winter weather may be completed this spring.

Mortgage Rates Rise, Jobless Claims Lower Than Predicted

Freddie Mac reported that average mortgage rates rose across the board last week with the rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage rising eight basis points to 4.40 percent. 15-year fixed mortgage rates rose 10 basis points to 3.42 percent.

Average rates for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage rose from 3.02 percent to 3.08 percent.

Discount points for fixed rate mortgages were unchanged at 0.60 percent and ticked upward from 0.40 to 0.50 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.

What’s Coming Up This Week

This week’s scheduled economic news includes Construction Spending for March,  ADP payrolls for March along with Freddie Mac’s PMMS weekly report on mortgage rates and the BLS Non-Farm Payrolls report. 

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: Home Price Index, Mortgage Rates, Pending Home Sales

Search Smarter

Did you know the hottest homes for sale in Hillsboro often sell within days of being listed? Don’t miss out! Set up your own custom property alert so you can be notified of the newest homes as they hit the market! Simply click the button below and choose the qualities that you want most in a home and save your search to start getting alerts today!

New Property Alerts

As local Hillsboro Real Estate Agents we also have access to homes before they hit the market and can show you more homes and information that are only accessible in the MLS. If you would like to set up a time to go over your real estate needs, please free to contact us at your convenience. There is no obligation and or pressure… we hope to hear from you!

Post navigation

« Get Your Lawn Ready For Spring
The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist »

Contact Us Now



(217) 532-2525 Hillsboro Office
(217) 324-4663 Litchfield Office

info@mcrealty.net
Hillsboro Office

551 S. Main St.
Hillsboro, IL 62049

Litchfield Office

410 N Monroe St.,
Suite 100
Litchfield, IL 62056

Hillsboro Company License #478.025162
Litchfield Company License #477.012410

Follow Us Now!


Quick Search Tools

  • Easy Search
  • Advanced Search
  • Address Search
  • Upcoming Auctions
  • Home Valuation
  • Map Search
  • My Account
  • Listing ID Search
  • Contact

Chat with us Now!

Click here to visit our Facebook page to chat with us now!

© 2025 · MCR Realty Professionals, Inc. · 217-532-2525 Hillsboro Office · 217-324-4663 Litchfield Office · MCR Agent Office · Agent IDX Login · Sitemap · IDX Sitemap · IDX Sitemap · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Hillsboro IL Homes for Sale
Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved by MCR Realty Professionals, Inc.

AREAS WE COVER:

62049, 62089, 62056, 62017, 62075, 62094
Hillsboro, Litchfield, Coffeen, Nokomis, Witt

Log in · Real Estate Websites by Real Estate Websites by YourSiteNeedsMe.com