For 2010 I predict that mortgage rates for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, will be around 5.94% for most of the year. While that does not seem to much higher from the current average rate of 5.19%, it is much higher than rates that may be available early in 2010.
Mortgage interest rates were recently increased from 4.69% to 5.19%. I thought this would happen as a response from mortgage lenders and banks who were over burdened with applications from hopeful homeowners looking to take advantage of the all time low interest rates. The rates were increased by .5% to stem the flow of refinancing and loan modification applications, but still keep a low enough rate to help a lot of homeowners save their home and avoid foreclosure.
I think this 5.19% rate will remain the same until mid October of 2009, then go back down to 4.69% from the middle of October through April 2010. Then the drastic rate increase of around 1.25% will take place as the housing market and economy show signs of recovery.