michael-idarola-mortgage-broker

Michael Idarola

Mortgage Expert

Mortgage Education

Welcome to my mortgage resource center, where you can learn all you need to know about mortgage loans.

Young man working on his laptop

Think Twice Before Waiting for 3% Mortgage Rates

Last year, the Federal Reserve took action to try to bring down inflation. In response to those efforts, mortgage rates jumped up rapidly from the record lows we saw ...
Read More
Lower Mortgage Rates

Lower Mortgage Rates Are Bringing Buyers Back to the Market

As mortgage rates rose last year, activity in the housing market slowed down. And as a result, homes started seeing fewer offers and stayed on ...
Read More
Key Advantages of Buying a Home Today

Key Advantages of Buying a Home Today

There’s no doubt buying a home today is different than it was over the past couple of years, and the shift in the market has led to ...
Read More
Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on ...
Read More
The Cost of Waiting for Mortgage Rates To Go Down The Cost of Waiting for Mortgage Rates To Go Down | MyKCM Mortgage rates have increased significantly in recent weeks. And that may mean you have questions about what this means for you if you’re planning to buy a home. Here’s some information that can help you make an informed decision when you set your homebuying plans. The Impact of Rising Mortgage Rates As mortgage rates rise, they impact your purchasing power by raising the cost of buying a home and limiting how much you can comfortably afford. Here’s how it works. Let’s assume you want to buy a $400,000 home (the median-priced home according to the National Association of Realtors is $389,500). If you’re trying to shop at that price point and keep your monthly payment about $2,500-2,600 or below, here’s how your purchasing power can change as mortgage rates climb (see chart below). The red shows payments above that threshold and the green indicates a payment within your target range. The Cost of Waiting for Mortgage Rates To Go Down | MyKCM As the chart shows, as rates go up, the amount you can afford to borrow decreases and that may mean you have to look at homes at a different price point. That’s why it’s important to work with a real estate advisor to understand how mortgage rates impact your monthly mortgage payment at various home loan amounts. Are Mortgage Rates Going To Go Down? The rise in mortgage rates and the resulting decrease in purchasing power may leave you wondering if you should wait for rates to go down before making your purchase. Realtor.com says this about where rates could go from here: “Many homebuyers likely winced . . . upon hearing that the Federal Reserve yet again boosted its short-term interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point—a move that’s pushing mortgage rates through the roof. And the already high rates are just going to get higher.” So, if you’re waiting for mortgage rates to drop, you may be waiting for a while as the Federal Reserve works to get inflation under control. And if you’re considering renting as your alternative while you wait it out, remember that’s going to get more expensive with time too. As Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “There is no doubt that these higher rates hurt housing affordability. Nevertheless, apart from borrowing costs, rents additionally rose at their highest pace in nearly four decades.” Basically, it is true that it costs more to buy a home today than it did last year, but the same is true for renting. This means, either way, you’re going to be paying more. The difference is, with homeownership, you’re also gaining equity over time which will help grow your net worth. The question now becomes: what makes more sense for you? Bottom Line Each person’s situation is unique. To make the best decision for you, let's connect to explore your options.

The Cost of Waiting for Mortgage Rates To Go Down

Mortgage rates have increased significantly in recent weeks. And that may mean you have questions about what this means for you if you’re planning to buy a ...
Read More
How an Expert Can Help You Understand Inflation & Mortgage Rates

How an Expert Can Help You Understand Inflation & Mortgage Rates

If you’re following today’s housing market, you know two of the top issues consumers face are inflation and mortgage rates. Let’s take a look at ...
Read More
Multi-generations family gathering at dinner party in the backyard

Top Reasons Homeowners Are Selling Their Houses Right Now

Some people believe there’s a group of homeowners who may be reluctant to sell their houses because they don’t want to lose the historically low mortgage rate ...
Read More
Home Search

Why You May Want To Start Your Home Search Today

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you likely have a lot of factors on your mind. You’re weighing your own needs against higher mortgage rates, today’s ...
Read More
Real estate agent showing a young couple a new house.

Is the Shifting Market a Challenge or an Opportunity for Homebuyers?

If you tried to buy a home during the pandemic, you know the limited supply of homes for sale was a considerable challenge. It created intense bidding ...
Read More
pexels-pixabay-276724

The Drop in Mortgage Rates Brings Good News for Homebuyers

Over the past few weeks, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac fell by half a percent. The drop happened over concerns about a potential recession. ...
Read More
michael-idarola-mortgage-broker

Michael Idarola

Mortgage Expert

Want to Buy or Refinance a Home?

See how much you qualify for in 60 seconds or less.