Mortgage rates are so low! So why aren’t people applying for mortgages?
Since last August, America has yet again fallen into another economic slump. It somehow seems all too soon with the 2008 recession still fresh on our minds, but with the ongoing debt issue in Greece and the instability of the European market, it seems rumors about another recession may not be too far from the mark.
One consequence of a bad economy is of course, a poor housing market. This results in lowered mortgage rates, making today the perfect opportunity for home buyers and refinancers to take on a new mortgage. And if that isn’t enough, large banks are now slashing fees on closing costs, making the acquisition of a new home more affordable than ever.
Recently, Capital One Bank waived some of their closing fees for refinancers, resulting in a whopping savings of $3,300 on the average. Bank of America and Citibank also placed a discount on their fees by as much as 0.75 percentage points. Mortgage rates are also hitting record lows week after week. Just a few days ago the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell to 4.21 percent, this is one of the lowest rates that the nation has ever seen for the past 50 years. However, despite these ridiculously low rates and tempting offers, bankers remain puzzled by the lack of mortgage applications. The question now is, why aren’t mortgage applications coming in by the bulk?
So why aren’t people applying for mortgages?
There are several reasons why mortgage applicants are keeping their feet out of the water. First of