Source:Bloomberg —
Finding a home to buy is only the first struggle. Then there’s paying the mortgage.
That’s become increasingly challenging, with the average American monthly mortgage payment rising to the highest level ever. It’s now $1,230 per month for a 30-year, fixed-rate loan, according to data from home-listing site Zillow. That’s up 36% from the average of $905 a year ago and a 6% increase from January.
Mortgage rates in the U.S. have risen in recent months, although the past two weeks have seen slight declines. With higher rates expected as the Federal Reserve prepares to hike its benchmark lending rate in response to inflation, the increase is further squeezing homebuyers grappling with an unyieldingly pricey real-estate market. Zillow describes it as a “one-two punch.”
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