Smart Borrower Blog

Archive for June, 2016

“Brexit” Brings Lower Mortgage Rates to Buyers

In the wake of the “Brexit” vote – the U.K’s decision last week to leave the European Union – stocks have been tumbling, bringing Treasury yields and mortgage interest rates down with them. As nervous investors have pulled their money out of stocks and put it into the safety of government bonds, the 10-year U.S. […]

Study: Credit Cards Can Lead to Better Jobs

When Americans lose their jobs, having a credit card with a sizable limit may be the key to finding not just a new job, but a great job, according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Using data from 5 million TransUnion credit reports between 2001 and 2008, and information from […]

Deferred Student Loans May Keep Buyers from Getting Mortgages

New federal regulations are likely to stop many potential American home buyers from qualifying for an FHA mortgage. Lenders will now have to take into account any student loans in deferment, a situation which many keep many younger borrowers from making a home purchase. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has included a new rule in […]

Mortgage Applications Jump as Rates Dip

U.S. borrowers rushed to the mortgage table during the latest week, as a weak jobs report pushed interest rates lower, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. During the week ended June 3, 2016, mortgage applications rose 9.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous week. The MBA’s Market Composite index is […]

Consumers Taking on More Debt and Handling It Better

U.S. consumers increased their overall debt load during the first quarter of 2016, according to new data from the New York Federal Reserve, and so far they seem to be keeping up with their payments better than the previous quarter. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit found that […]