Let’s start from the start by answering your query about housing, interest rates, and refinancing one by one.
On the relationship between house prices and interest rates:
- Typically an inverse relationship exists between the interest charges on mortgage loans and the prices of houses within the real estate market.
- In an upwards adjustment of interest rates, home purchasing becomes costly and this causes the demand to slump thus causing prices to follow suit.
- When the rates are low, everything is cheaper, including borrowing.
- This can boost the activity and prices.
Refinancing when rates, inflation and home prices are high:
- This is generally poor timing for a refinance.
- Normally refinancing is done so that you can obtain a better interest rate, that will be difficult in a high rate environment.
- But that is not to say it cannot work in particular individuals.
Is it good that interest rates continue to increase?
- It’s subjective.
- Higher rates can bring inflation down and alleviate an economy which has expanded quickly too much.
- If the rates rise, the interests on savings will also rise making savers better off.
- However, the cost of money also increases which dampens the economic activity since the cost of acquiring loans especially mortgages becomes high.
Consolidating debt by means of high-interest refinancing:
- In general, it is not usually a good idea to refinance at a higher rate unless sufficient reasons exist.
For example: This is basically to switch from adjustable-rate mortgage to favorable stability of fixed-rate mortgage.
Why should you refinance: This type of thinking in refinancing is mostly possible and makes perfect sense in cases when:
- A clear lowering of the interest rate by 0.5-1 percentage points or more is achieved.
- The saving realized by not paying against the future interest for a particular period savings in the cost of the loan exceeds the cost of closing.
- You will reside in the home for a considerable period of time for the amount spent on refinancing to be neutralized.
Purchasing a home in circumstances of elevated inflation:
- Where inflation is high, it can be a curse and a blessing.
- A blessing since, as people would say, real estate is a good investment because the value of properties rises over time.
- A curse in that high inflation means high interest thereby making loans for home purchase expensive.
- The choice depends on personal factors, the area, the demand of the market, and the budget over the years.
The relationship between the interest rate and the price of a house:
- As stated already, it is an inverse relationship most of the time.
- Higher rates tend to lower home prices while lower rates tend to increase the prices.
Buying when interest rates are high: Buying when rates are high that shin increases purchases:
- Less competition from other buyers.
- Low costs of homes.
- Able to make refinances in the future- in case the rates fall.
- Despite the benefits, inconvenience of the higher monthly payments is usually a considerable disadvantage.
Interest rate forecast for the next 5 years:
- Nobody has a crystal ball.
- Nobody has access to present information and it cannot predict economic effects accurately.
- Requests for interest rate estimates are vulnerable to rapid changes due to economic and political developments.
- The correlation of current norms with the forecasting is preferable using ‘trend’ movements from active financial companies.
What’s a good mortgage interest rate?
- What would be deemed as a “good” rate depends on factors such as economic cycle, type of loan in question and borrower’s negotiation skills and situation.
- At my most recent update in August, 2024 rates were lower than the rates crested in the low half of previous years.
- The more lenders one approaches it is quite prudent in today’s situation to see with history considering mortgage rates are puzzled over what a weak deal is and is not.
Finally, due to the degree of complexity of these subjects and the affording of making considerable financial decisions, it is always good practice to see a financial advisor of a mortgage specialist for assessments targeting your position in this market.