Mortgage Rates Fall Below 5% in Georgia

For the first time in recent history, the 30 year fixed rate in Georgia declined to 4.87%.

According to Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, 30 year fixed loans fell 4% in Georgia for the week ending December 14, 2008.

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Mortgage Rates Take Off After Volatile Week in Stock Market; Rates in Some States Increase by 10%

Average Georgia 30 year fixed rates increased 7.8% to 6.29%.

PRNewswire/ -- Mortgage rates surged last week, with rates for 30-year fixed mortgages increasing to 6.36 percent, up from 5.95 percent the week prior, according to the Zillow Mortgage Rate Monitor, compiled by leading real estate Web site Zillow.com(R). Mortgage rates for 15-year fixed rose to 6 percent, up from 5.65 percent and 5-1 adjustable rate mortgages increased to 5.69 percent from 5.68 percent.

Mortgage Type Average Rate Average Rate % Change
Week ending 10/19/08 Week ending 10/12/08
30-year fixed 6.36% 5.95% 6.9%
15-year fixed 6.00% 5.65% 6.1%
5-1 ARM 5.69% 5.68% 0.1%

Rates for 30-year fixed mortgages appeared to be dipping again on Monday evening, however, with the average rate on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 5.97 percent.

At a state level, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate in North Carolina saw the most significant increase from 5.79 percent to 6.38 percent. Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages were lowest in the states of Colorado (6.24%) and Oregon (6.25%), while Connecticut (6.49%) and Maryland (6.45%) had the highest rates.

The Zillow Mortgage Rate Monitor is compiled each week using thousands of mortgage rates quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace (www.zillow.com/mortgage) by mortgage lenders to borrowers who have submitted loan requests. State-level data is gathered for the top 20 states with the highest quote volume on Zillow.

Zillow Mortgage Marketplace is an open and transparent lending marketplace, providing borrowers an anonymous and hassle-free way to receive an unlimited number of customized mortgage quotes directly from confirmed lenders.

For more detailed rate charts and data, as well as choices of mortgage calculator, please visit www.zillow.com/mortgage.

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Two-Thirds of Struggling Homeowners Meet Key Criteria for Housing Bill Relief, According to Survey by CCCS of Greater Atlanta

PRNewswire/ -- Almost two-thirds of homeowners who called Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Atlanta for foreclosure prevention counseling in recent months appear to meet the threshold requirements for relief under the new federal housing bill that took effect Oct. 1, according to a recent survey of those homeowners.

Of 591 people surveyed in late September, 381 of them, or 64.6 percent, said they met five key eligibility criteria for the mortgage refinancing program.

On July 30, President Bush signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The law created a new program called Hope for Homeowners intended to help families save their homes from foreclosure. Mortgage lenders participating in the program can allow "at risk" borrowers to refinance their current mortgage into a new fixed-rate loan insured by the FHA. Lenders' participation in the program is voluntary.

"Our survey results indicate this new FHA program holds the potential to help a large number of Americans struggling to pay their mortgage," said Suzanne Boas, president of CCCS of Greater Atlanta. "Not everyone will be able to meet the terms. But if someone meets the basic criteria laid out in the housing bill, it would be worth a phone call to their lender to ask about the FHA program."

Homeowners must meet several requirements to be considered for the program. People who called CCCS of Greater Atlanta in July and August trying to avoid foreclosure were surveyed about these requirements by email from Sept. 19-23.

To be counted among the 64.6 percent of survey takers who appear to meet the threshold criteria, people needed to indicate that they live in the home with the problem mortgage; their mortgage was originated before January 2008; they didn't have an existing home equity line or other second mortgage; they did not own another home and they spend at least 31 percent of their gross monthly income on mortgage debt.

From those surveyed, the top challenge to participation in the FHA program is paying off a home equity loan or second mortgage. Thirty-five percent of respondents reported that their home secures more than one loan.

A second mortgage or home equity loan must be paid before a homeowner can qualify for the refinance program. It is possible to pay off the second mortgage through proceeds from the new FHA loan. That could be difficult if the first and second mortgage are held by different lenders because only the primary loan qualifies for the FHA program.

Also, nearly 20 percent of respondents say they don't spend at least 31 percent of their gross monthly income on their mortgage -- a threshold required by the FHA refinance program.

Borrowers who qualify for the FHA program are responsible for paying loan origination fees, as well as an insurance premium to FHA equal to 1.5 percent of the principal annually.

There are several other conditions:

-- The borrower must certify there was no misrepresentation in their application for the existing loan.

-- The borrower must agree to share both initial equity and future appreciation with The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD).

-- The equity sharing agreement provides that if the house is sold within the first year, 100 percent of the initial equity (generally 10 percent of the value of the property at origination) will go to FHA. After 1 year, FHA is entitled to 90 percent of the initial equity. The percentage keeps dropping in 10 percent increments to 50 percent after the fifth year, where it stays.

-- In addition to the initial equity which is a fixed amount, 50 percent of any future appreciation of the property must be paid to HUD when the property is sold.

-- The FHA loan will be a 30-year fixed rate mortgage and may not exceed 90 percent of the current appraised value of the property. An additional 3 percent mortgage insurance premium will be financed in the mortgage making the initial loan to value 87 percent.

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