Amy Cutts Using Quotations

Lower figures for the recently released producer price index and consumer price index and lower, but still strong, gross domestic product, combined with the seasonal slowdown in the housing market, led to another decline in mortgage rates this week.

Lower figures for the recently released producer-price index and consumer- price index, and lower but still strong gross domestic product, combined with the seasonal slowdown in the housing market led to another decline in mortgage rates this week.

The bond markets got a little ahead of themselves, causing yields to rise too quickly over the past few weeks. This week saw a bit of a correction and mortgage rates fell for the first time in eight weeks. Continued volatility in financial markets, however, will keep rates teetering up and down for some time to come.

We are starting to see a little bit of a slowdown in the enthusiasm for housing as an investment.

Five percent on its own would be good news. That's a good rate of appreciation and reflects a strong housing market.

Part of the purchasing decision for buying a house is an expectation of what housing prices are going to do in the future. It's true that houses are getting more and more expensive, but people are increasing their wealth in ways we haven't seen in a while.

The onset of 2005 bodes well for the housing industry. Long-term mortgage rates are currently below six percent.