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Finance Articles
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Home Mortgages: Should You Apply Now?
By Douglas Hanna
Debt Management Help Do you struggle with the bills every month? No matter how you juggle your finances there just doesn`t seem to be enough coppers in the bank to pay your creditors. You are not on your own. The UK has been spiraling further into debt for a decade and a large number of families find themselves in your position. Their incomings can`t compete with their outgoings and this can prove to have a detrimental effect on family life. There are options available to people that find themselves in extreme financial difficulty. They can seek Debt Management Helpthrough financial firms who can provide plans that are suitable for each individual customer. If you have explored all other options, Debt Management Helpcould arrange for you to be put on a plan where you`ll pay one fixed affordable monthly fee. They`ll deal with your creditors on your behalf and you`ll make monthly payments to the debt management firm. Once a structured management plan is in place you`ll be able to cope with your regular outgoings and steer a steady path to greater control over your finances in the future. Seek Debt Management Helpduring these difficult times and you`ll see light at the end of the tunnel for the first time in ages.
In its survey this week (the week of Aug. 1), Freddie Mac, the corporation that finances many of the country?s mortgages, reported that rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages rose to a nationwide average of 5.82 percent. This represents the fifth week in a row that the rate on fixed-rate mortgages has gone up. This increase put the rate is at its highest since it averaged 5.91 percent for the week ending April 14. That?s the not-so-good news. The good news is that rates on 30-year mortgages are still reasonable and have, in fact, stayed below 6 percent for all but two weeks this year. This, of course, would be for a new mortgage. If you are thinking of refinancing your current mortgage, you might want to look into a 15-year, fixed rate mortgage. The rates on these mortgages averaged 5.38 percent this week. This compares with an interest rate average of 5.34 percent last week. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac`s chief economist, has said that "Long-term mortgage rates will more than likely rise over the next few months.? Also, the Federal Reserve is expected to continue to increase a key short-term interest rate. It has increased this rate ten times since it began to tighten credit in June of 2004 and is expected to continue to increase this rate. Keep in mind that the nationwide interest rate averages quoted here do not include add-on fees known as points. Both 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages currently carry an average fee of 0.6 point Last year at this time, 30-year mortgages had an average interest rate of 5.99 percent and 15-year mortgages were at 5.40 percent. This means that right now, your interest rate on a new mortgage would probably be slightly less than a year ago. So, if you need a new mortgage or want to refinance your existing mortgage, now could be a pretty good time. 
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