What You Can Do When Mortgage Rates Are a Moving Target

Posted by Shane Andersen on April 30th, 2025

 

Have you seen where mortgage rates have been lately? One day they go down a little. The next day, they go back up again. It can feel confusing and even frustrating if you’re trying to decide whether now’s a good time to buy a home.

Take a look at the graph below. It uses data from Mortgage News Daily to show that after a relatively stable month of March, mortgage rates have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride in April:

This kind of up-and-down volatility is expected when economic changes are happening.

And that’s one of the reasons why trying to time the market isn’t your best move. You can’t control what happens with mortgage rates. But you’re not powerless. Even with all the economic uncertainty right now, there are things you can…

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The Perks of Buying a Fixer-Upper

Posted by Shane Andersen on February 19th, 2025

 

There’s no denying affordability is tough right now. But that doesn’t mean you have to put your plans to buy a home on the back burner.

If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves (or hire someone who will), buying a house that needs some work could open the door to homeownership. Here’s everything you need to know so you can decide if this is the right move for you.

What’s a Fixer-Upper?

A fixer-upper is a home that’s livable but requires some renovations. Think cosmetic updates like wallpaper removal and new flooring or more extensive repairs like replacing a roof or updating plumbing.

While fixer-uppers need a little TLC, here’s why they may be worth considering, especially right now:

1. They Usually Have a Lower Price…

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Adjustable Mortgage Rates Now vs 2008

Posted by Shane Andersen on August 30th, 2023

What’s the truth about adjustable-rate mortgages today? We take a closer look in this video and compare today versus the crash back in 2008. How are things different? Just watch to find out and let us know here at the Brookings Home Team if you have any questions!

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Lending Standards Are Not Like They Were Leading Up to the Crash

Posted by Shane Andersen on August 8th, 2023

 

You might be worried we’re heading for a housing crash, but there are many reasons why this housing market isn’t like the one we saw in 2008. One of which is how lending standards are different today. Here’s a look at the data to help prove it. 

Every month, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) releases the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to their website:

“The MCAI provides the only standardized quantitative index that is solely focused on mortgage credit. The MCAI is . . . a summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point in time.”

Basically, the index determines how easy it is to get a mortgage. Take a look at the graph below of the MCAI since they started keeping track of this…

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Things To Avoid After Applying for a Home Loan

Posted by Shane Andersen on July 20th, 2022

Once you’ve applied for a mortgage to buy a home, there are some key things to keep in mind. While it’s exciting to start thinking about moving in and decorating, be careful when it comes to making any big purchases. Here are a few things you may not realize you need to avoid after applying for your home loan.

Don’t Deposit Large Sums of Cash

Lenders need to source your money, and cash isn’t easily traceable. Before you deposit any amount of cash into your accounts, discuss the proper way to document your transactions with your loan officer.

Don’t Make Any Large Purchases

It’s not just home-related purchases that could disqualify you from your loan. Any large purchases can be red flags for lenders. People with new debt have higher…

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Why Home Loans Today Aren’t What They Were in the Past

Posted by Shane Andersen on June 23rd, 2022

In today’s housing market, many are beginning to wonder if we’re returning to the riskier lending habits and borrowing options that led to the housing crash 15 years ago. Let’s ease those concerns.

Several times a year, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) releases an index titled the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to their website:

“The MCAI provides the only standardized quantitative index that is solely focused on mortgage credit. The MCAI is . . . a summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point in time.”

Basically, the index determines how easy it is to get a mortgage. The higher the index, the more available mortgage credit becomes. Here’s a graph of the MCAI dating…

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Don’t Wait for a Lower Mortgage Rate – It Could Cost You

Posted by Shane Andersen on October 26th, 2021

Today’s housing market is truly one for the record books. Over the past year, we’ve seen the lowest mortgage rates in history. And while those rates seemed to bottom out in January of this year, the golden window of opportunity for buyers isn’t over just yet. If you’re one of the buyers who worry they’ve missed out, rest assured today’s mortgage rates are still worth taking advantage of.

Even today, our mortgage rates are below what they’ve been in recent decades. So, while you may not be able to lock in the rate your friend got recently, you’re still in a great position to secure a rate well below what your parents and even grandparents got in years past. The key will be acting sooner rather than later.

In late September, mortgage rates…

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#118 Monday Morning Mortgage Tip: Stephanie Murray with Dacotah Bank

Posted by Shane Andersen on March 10th, 2020

Every Monday Morning at 8:15am, join me on my Facebook page as I sit down with a local lender, and do a live interview and talk about a Mortgage Tip that may help YOU with your next Real Estate Purchase. 

This morning I sat down with Stephanie Murray from Dacotah Bank. Listen as Stephanie talks about the different disclosures you will receive during the home loan process. You can reach her at 605.692.8600 or stephanie.murray@dacotahbank.com  Her office is located at 1441 6th St., Brookings SD 57006 or on the web at https://www.dacotahbank.com/brookings

  

 

 Disclosures

 

- Here we go, good morning everybody, how you doing? Shane here, from the Brookings Home Team, powered by Century 21, and I got Stephanie here from Dacotah Bank…

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#117 Monday Morning Mortgage Tip: Mark Waterman with Great Western Bank

Posted by Shane Andersen on March 3rd, 2020

Every Monday Morning at 8:15am, join me on my Facebook page as I sit down with a local lender, and do a live interview and talk about a Mortgage Tip that may help YOU with your next Real Estate Purchase. 

This morning I sat down with Mark Waterman from Great Western Bank. Listen as Mark explains Private Mortgage Insurance, also known as PMI. You can reach him at 605.627.0602 or Mark.Waterman@GreatWesternBank.com  His office is located at 1302 6th St., Brookings SD 57006 or on the web at www.GreatWesternBank.com

 

Private Mortgage Insurance 

 

 

- Good morning everybody.

- I'm ready.

- You start smirking here and made me laugh. Good morning everybody, Shane here from the Brookings Home Team, powered by Century 21. We're having a…

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The #1 Reason to List Your House Right Now

Posted by Shane Andersen on February 28th, 2020

 

The success of the U.S. residential real estate market, like any other market, is determined by supply and demand. This means we need to look at how many potential purchasers are in the market versus the number of houses that are available to buy. With early 2020 housing data now rolling in, it’s quite evident there are two big stories impacting this year’s residential real estate market:

1. Buyer demand is already extremely strong
2. Housing supply is at a historically low level

Demand

ShowingTime is a firm that compiles data from property showings scheduled across the country. The latest ShowingTime Showing Index reveals how showings have increased in each of the country’s four regions for five months in a row.

Supply

…

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