In this episode, Ariel Property Advisors’ President Shimon Shkury and Matthew Swerdlow, Senior Director, Capital Services discuss the Federal Reserve’s recent announcement to raise rates by 50 basis points, the highest increase since 2000, and pledge to consider additional 50 basis point increases at upcoming meetings to help combat inflation. The Fed also announced that the Central Bank plans to start reducing its balance sheet beginning June 1. Although the job market has stabilized in recent months—the nation’s unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6 percent—inflation has continued to skyrocket and now sits at 8.5 percent, the highest rate since December of 1981 and far above the Fed’s target goal of 2 percent. 

In this rising interest rate environment, the Capital Services team is advising borrowers to lock in rates early and analyzing whether refinancing a loan today at a lower rate is preferable to waiting a year or more when rates might be higher.