Mortgages
A rate cut can prove beneficial with home financing, but the impact depends on what type of mortgage the consumer has, whether fixed or adjustable and which rate the mortgage is linked to.
(To compare the advantages and disadvantages of these two types of mortgages, read "Mortgages: Fixed-Rate Versus Adjustable-Rate.")
For fixed-rate mortgages, a rate cut will have no impact on the amount of the monthly payment. Low rates can be good for potential homeowners, but fixed-rate mortgages do not move directly with the Fed's rate changes. A Fed rate cut changes the short-term lending rate, but most fixed-rate mortgages are based on long-term rates, which do not fluctuate as much as short-term rates.
Generally speaking, when the Fed issues a rate cut, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) payments will decrease. The amount by which a mortgage payment changes will depend on the rate the mortgage uses when it resets. Many ARMs are linked to short-term Treasury yields, which tend to move with the Fed or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which does not always move with the Fed. Many home-equity loans and home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are also linked to prime or LIBOR.
(Investopedia) |
