Mortgage 101 For Mainstream Media: How Rates Work & Why Rates Spiked

Today and every Thursday, Freddie Mac releases results of a survey showing what rates are on single family home loans up to $417,000. And the overwhelming majority of mainstream media reports on the topic today talk about how rates have risen along with Treasuries. WRONG. Mortgage rates referenced in the Freddie Mac survey aren’t tied to Treasuries, they’re tied to mortgage backed securities. Below are three Mortgage 101 stories so that you may understand how mortgage rates work better than the media reporting them to you. The first link also covers what’s happened to rates in recent weeks.

– Rate Spike! CHART: Rates Up 1% Since November
– 2010 Rate Outlook: How Rates Work
– The Fine Print On Mortgage Rate Headlines