30-Year Rates Down For Third Consecutive
Week
Recent Housing News Mixed
McLean, VA 芳reddie Mac (NYSE:FRE)
today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Surveyョ (PMMSョ)
in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.99 percent
with an average 0.7 point for the week ending January 21, 2010, down
from last week when it averaged 5.06 percent. Last year at this time,
the 30-year FRM averaged 5.12 percent.
The 15-year FRM this week
averaged 4.40 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week
when it averaged 4.45 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM
averaged 4.80 percent.
The 5-year
Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.27
percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when
it averaged 4.32 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.24
percent.
The 1-year
Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.32 percent this week with an average 0.6
point, down from last week when it averaged 4.39 percent. At this time
last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.92 percent.
(Average commitment rates
should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the
total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)
"Fixed mortgage rates followed bond yields lower for the third
consecutive week, pushing 30-year mortgages below 5 percent once more,"
said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.
"Similarly, ARM rates eased along with shorter-term rates, as the
federal funds futures market indicates no increase in the
Federal Reserve's target rate following its upcoming committee
meeting on January 26th and 27th.
"Because of reduced sample sizes and work disruptions that occur with
severe weather, housing starts tend to be more volatile during winter
months. And, indeed,
housing starts declined 4.0 percent in December, falling short of
the market consensus of no change.
Building permits, which are less vulnerable to weather
interruptions, unexpectedly jumped 10.9 percent."
Freddie Mac was
established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and
affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac
supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to
lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in
six homebuyers and more than five million renters. |