According to a recent Primerates.com survey of NYC mortgage rates offered by the largest area banks & credit unions, five NYC institutions offered rates below 4.00% on 30-year fixed-rate conforming loans in the NYC area for well-qualified borrowers. Wells Fargo (www.wellsfargo.com) and the Bank of America (www.bankofamerica.com) offered rates at 3.75%. Four other institutions offered rates above 4.00% with the Hudson City (www.hcsbonline.com) offering rates at 4.50%.
While most lenders will push one of the three products on the list below, there are other options for the borrower. The 30-year fixed rate loan is the most popular since it offers the lowest monthly payment. The trade-off is paying a higher interest rate. For those who have a better cash flow, the 15-year product may be more suitable. The 15-year fixed rate loan will allow the borrower to pay more toward principal with each payment, and since it has a lower interest rate the overall amount of money that is paid in interest will be much lower. While many people steer clear of the 5/1 ARM it is beneficial to some borrowers. For instance, a person with a smaller loan (usually due to refinancing) may have the cash flow to pay off their ARM in 5 years or less. This person could save an extra 1% in interest payments over the 15-year product and never worry about the rate adjusting later in the life of the loan.
Top NYC Area Banks and Credit Unions | As of | 30 Yr-Rate | 30 Yr-APR | 15 Yr-Rate | 15 Yr-APR | 5/1 ARM-IR | 5/1 ARM-APR |
JP Morgan Chase | 04/22/2012 | 3.88% | 3.96% | 3.00% | 3.16% | 2.38% | 3.05% |
Bank of America | 04/20/2012 | 3.75% | 3.95% | 3.00% | 3.32% | 2.63% | 3.19% |
Citibank | 04/20/2012 | 4.25% | 4.43% | 3.50% | 3.80% | NA | NA |
HSBC | 04/20/2012 | 4.00% | 4.13% | 3.25% | 3.48% | 3.13% | 3.33% |
Wells Fargo | 04/22/2012 | 3.75% | 3.92% | 2.88% | 3.17% | 2.25% | 3.06% |
Capital One | 04/23/2012 | 3.88% | 3.95% | 3.00% | 3.14% | 2.50% | 2.58% |
Hudson City | 04/20/2012 | 4.50% | 4.53% | 3.50% | 3.55% | 3.13% | 3.07% |
Sovereign Bank | 04/20/2012 | 3.99% | 4.15% | 3.25% | 3.53% | NA | NA |
PNC Bank | 04/20/2012 | 4.00% | 3.96% | 3.13% | 3.15% | NA | NA |
Listed rates from banks, thrifts, and credit unions were listed on their websites on the date indicated for conforming loans with 0 points. Data is believed accurate at time of collection, can change without notice, and will vary based on an individual’s credit history. Contact a specific institution for current rates.