Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Decline Slightly

(LoanRateUpdate.com)

Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®). The survey results showed lower mortgage rates for both long- and short-term rates, with the 30-year reaching a four-week low.

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.71 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending January 13, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.77 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.06 percent.
• 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.08 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.13 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.45 percent.
• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.72 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.75 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.32 percent.
• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.23 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.24 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.39 percent.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac stated, “Bond yields drifted lower following the release of the December employment report, which was weaker than the market consensus forecast and implied that the labor market is still in a sluggish recovery.  Fixed mortgage rates followed bond yields lower for a second consecutive week, bringing them to a four-week low.”

And….

“In its January 12th regional economic review, the Federal Reserve noted that activity in residential real estate and new home construction remained slow across all Districts over the last two months of 2010 due to concerns about the pace of economic recovery, especially in employment. In addition, the outlooks for residential real estate were mixed, with contacts in most Districts described as expecting continued weak conditions.”

30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	4.71	4.75	4.66	4.76	4.70	4.67
Fees & Points	0.8	0.7	1.0	0.6	0.8	0.9

15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	4.08	4.14	4.04	4.10	4.12	4.02
Fees & Points	0.7	0.6	1.0	0.5	0.7	0.8

5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.72	3.84	3.51	3.95	3.72	3.58
Fees & Points	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.4	0.7	0.9
Margin	2.75	2.76	2.75	2.72	2.79	2.74

1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.23	3.36	2.92	3.65	3.43	2.94
Fees & Points	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.4	0.7	0.6
Margin	2.77	2.80	2.75	2.73	2.80	2.75

The National Mortgage Rate Snapshot
	One Year Ago				One Week Ago
	30-YR	15-YR	5/1-YR	1-YR ARM	30-YR	15-YR	5/1-YR	1-YR ARM
Average	5.06	4.45	4.32	4.39	4.77	4.13	3.75	3.24
Fees & Points	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6
Margin	N/A	N/A	2.74	2.75	N/A	N/A	2.75	2.76

Tags: 15 year fixed, 30 year fixed, fixed rate mortgage, freddie mac, interest rates, mortgage rates