Will mortgage rates drop in the next 5 years?
(NerdWallet) – Mortgage rates are expected to go down sometime in 2024, but the decline probably won't start in March. Instead, mortgage rates are likely to remain about the same because the economy hasn't cooled off enough yet to cause them to fall.
Mortgage rates are expected to decline later this year as the U.S. economy weakens, inflation slows and the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall to the mid- to low-6% range through the end of 2024, potentially dipping into high-5% territory by early 2025.
By Q4 2024, we expect the average mortgage rate on a 75% 5-year fixed product to fall to 3.82%, down from 4.86% in Q4 2023. Following on from this, we expect mortgage rates to continue falling over the next five years.
Here's where three experts predict mortgage rates are heading: Around 6% or below by Q1 2025: "Rates hit 8% towards the end of last year, and right now we are seeing rates closer to 6.875%," says Haymore. "By the first quarter of 2025, mortgage rates could potentially fall below the 6% threshold, or maybe even lower."
On 21 March 2024, the Bank of England held the base rate at 5.25% for the fifth time in a row. Financial markets are currently predicting the first cut in interest rates will be in June 2024, falling to around 3% by the end of 2025, according to the latest forecasts from Capital Economics.
The 10-year treasury constant maturity rate in the U.S. is forecast to decline by 0.8 percent by 2026, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall by 1.6 percent. From seven percent in the third quarter of 2023, the average 30-year mortgage rate is projected to reach 5.4 percent in 2026.
It's possible that rates will one day go back down to 3%, though if current trends hold that's not likely to happen anytime soon.
Futures indicate that short-term interest rates will bottom out at about 3.75% in 2027, while the median forecast among members of the policy-making Federal Open Market Committee is 2.6% — more than 100 basis points lower.
The nation's top economists say the Fed is most likely to keep interest rates higher than 2.5 percent — often considered the “goldilocks,” not-too-tight, not-too-loose level for its benchmark federal funds rate — until the end of 2026, Bankrate's quarterly economists' poll found.
Inflation is anticipated to keep falling in 2024 and may reach the BoE's 2% target earlier than expected. As inflation has declined faster than expected this year, the BoE could start cutting the base rate in 2024 and possibly fall to 4% by the end of next year, according to data from private bank Berenberg.
What will interest rates look like in 2025?
The median estimate for the fed-funds rate target range at the end of 2025 moved to 3.75% to 4%, from 3.5% to 3.75% in December.
Driving the news: The median Fed official now expects interest rates to be somewhat higher in 2025 and 2026 than they did in December — anticipating fewer rate cuts will be justified in the coming two years. The median projection for the longer-run rate also ticked up, to 2.6% from 2.5%.
However, the overall outlook for mortgage rates in 2024 suggests more rate drops, with Bright MLS forecasts predicting rates to hit 6.2% by the fourth quarter.”
If you're looking for certainty and peace of mind, a 5-year fixed rate mortgage may be the right choice for you. With a longer fixed term, you'll have predictable repayments for a longer period, protecting yourself against any potential interest rate rises.
Fixing your mortgage for longer can give you greater certainty as you'll know exactly what your mortgage repayments will be for the next 5 or 10 years. However, fixing for a longer term normally comes with higher interest rates - although rates for 5 year deals are lower than 2 year deals at the moment.
When inflation is running high, the Fed raises those short-term rates to slow the economy and reduce pressure on prices. But higher interest rates make it more expensive for banks to borrow, so they raise their rates on consumer loans, including mortgages, to compensate.
Last year, the White House projection for bill rates in 2030 was 2.4%. Such a level would be much higher than has been typical since the turn of the century. Three-month bill rates averaged around 1.5% over that period.
According to their latest forecast for 30-year mortgage rates in October 2023, they expect them to range from 7.40% to 7.86%, with an average of 7.63%. They also predict that mortgage rates will peak at 9.41% in May 2024, before gradually declining to 3.67% by November 2027.
Mortgage Interest Rate predictions for July 2026. Maximum interest rate 3.79%, minimum 3.57%. The average for the month 3.67%. The 15 Year Mortgage Rate forecast at the end of the month 3.68%.
The bottom line. Today's elevated mortgage rate environment isn't preferable for homebuyers, but it doesn't mean that you should refrain from acting, either. If you discover your dream home, can afford the interest rate, find an affordable house, or have an alternative to rent, it can be worth it for you now.
Should I wait for interest rates to go down?
The bottom line. Interest rates could drop in the future, but you may not want to wait for that to happen to buy a home. If you wait for rates to fall, you could face higher home prices or miss out on your dream home.
Mortgage giant Fannie Mae likewise raised its outlook, now expecting 30-year mortgage rates to be at 6.4 percent by the end of 2024, compared to an earlier forecast of 5.8 percent.
Interest rate futures currently imply a terminal rate of 3.7% by the end of 2026, a good bit higher than the Fed's projected 3.1% over the same time horizon, never mind the long-run neutral view of 2.6%.
Interest rates have held steady since July 2023.
The Fed raised the rate 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023 to combat ongoing inflation. After its December 2023 meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) predicted making three quarter-point cuts by the end of 2024 to lower the federal funds rate to 4.6%.
The yield curve, rooted in pure expectations theory, reflects future interest rate outlooks. Market participants heavily rely on it to predict interest rate movements and economic conditions. A steep curve suggests robust growth, while a flat or inverted curve signals slowdowns.
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