To: russwinter who wrote (24885 ) 1/18/2005 5:42:45 PM From: mishedlo Respond to of 110194 I'm not in the mortgage business, and I sold my home (and apartment buildings) in 2002, so I can only speak for what I've encountered looking at different larger lenders. I've been researching this pretty hard for a week and haven't run into margin rates that low (1 7/8%). Of course when you have a thread like this, one can only hope industry knowledgeable people chime in once in awhile (??), including correcting me. I'm like you, I research hard, am damn intelligent, but can't know everything, that's one reason why I show up here. There are all kinds of loans of course, so maybe you got a break because of very high credit scores, a low LTV, or some combo thereof, and perhaps the fact that it's a one month LIBOR? BTW as of today one month LIBOR is 2.5%.libor-loans.com I believe they set it at the end of January, and pass on the new rate to you in March. On a 1 month libor at 2.5% I am at 4.375% Still not a bad deal. Loan is thru Merrill Lynch I called today but the person I talked to could not tell me what is industry standard was. He did say that their 3 yr arm was based on 3 yr libor but at the end of 3 years floated at 6 month libor. Those people might see a drop! Yes I am at their best rate but I do not know what the "next best" rate is or how many quality for ther best rate. I did find this out however: Their best rate on this program was on the basis of someone being able to afford 8% interest rates should they get that high. That said, I bet lots of people qualified for that 3 yr loan and some of them might see a drop even with the hikes we had (depending on when they took out the loan). I have heard of lower spreads but typically they involved paying extra points. Did not seem attractive to me, and Merrill did not offer that anyway. With all these new hybrids etc, I am not sure there is a "standard". Perhaps we can agree on 2.25% average spread, but there is average and there is average. People with the worst scores are probably those at the top end of the spread and those who can least afford the rate hikes we are getting. God knows what the spreads are for sub-primes.In short, average is probably nowhere near what I have (it is still available for those who qualify), but how close is it to the numbers you posted? There is a lot of difference between 4.375 and 6! Mish