A role for agents in mortgage matters

Episode 35: A Freddie Mac survey out this week found that 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loans averaged 4.42 percent, with an average of 0.7 point (see "Mortgage rates go lower"). It was the ninth consecutive week of record-low rates reported in Freddie's Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

In this episode of the Wheel Estate Cam, real estate broker Frankl LLosa discusses the possibility that rates could edge down even lower.

And he encourages real estate agents to study up on the mortgage market to be better prepared to assist clients when questions arise.

"I never tell people what to do" when it comes to mortgage decisions, LLosa says, though he does offer up information and data to assist them in making their decisions, and he asks questions to learn about his clients' preferences and priorities.

"I don't believe in timing the market when buying a house. I don't believe in timing interest rates," he said. "I wouldn't buy a house just because interest rates are at a certain level."

But he said it can be important "to understand finances and the whole loan process, and not just hand off your clients to a lender. I think the (agent) should be knowledgeable."

Watch past episodes of the Wheel Estate Cam.

Frank Borges LLosa is the broker, founder and owner of FranklyRealty.com, a real estate brokerage in Falls Church, Va. He is the creator of the Trust Me I'm a Realtor blog and multiple listing service wiki site FranklyMLS.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @franklyrealty.

Contact Frank LLosa:
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