The reason behind the drop in mortgage apps
By Brena Swanson | HousingWire
Although mortgage applications significantly tumbled this week, the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate hike is not to blame, according to a new report from Capital Economics.
Capital Economics originally forecasted back in December that the housing market could withstand a rate hike, with this new Mortgage Bankers Association report giving early evidence that it was right.
The results for the final two weeks of the year include an adjustment to account for the New Year’s Day holiday, while the previous week’s results were adjusted for the Christmas holiday. Last week is the only week of the year that the MBA doesn’t release a mortgage application report.
Related: Fed’s Fischer says four rate hikes in 2016 ‘in the ballpark’/Reuters