Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Back Under 5 Percent

February 24, 2011 (Chris Moore)

Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which shows a drop in long-term fixed rates this week with the 30 year fixed rate mortgage dropping to below 5 percent.

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.95 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending February 24, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 5.0 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.05 percent.
• 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.22 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.27 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.40 percent.
• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.8 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.87 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.16 percent.
• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.40 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.39 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.15 percent.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac said, "Fixed mortgage rates eased again this holiday week amid mixed inflation data reports. Although the core consumer price index for January rose slightly above the market consensus, house prices fell 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller® National Index. In addition, the level of the index was the lowest since the fourth quarter of 2002.”

30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	4.95	4.99	4.92	4.99	4.98	4.90
Fees & Points	0.6	0.5	0.8	0.5	0.6	0.7

15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	4.22	4.25	4.21	4.25	4.29	4.16
Fees & Points	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.5	0.6	0.7

5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.80	3.93	3.63	3.90	3.78	3.70
Fees & Points	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.7
Margin	2.74	2.76	2.75	2.72	2.77	2.73

1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages
	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.40	3.51	3.05	3.88	3.38	3.18
Fees & Points	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.4	0.8	0.7
Margin	2.76	2.79	2.75	2.73	2.77	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	5.05	4.40	4.16	4.15	5.00	4.27	3.87	3.39
Fees & Points	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6
Margin	N/A	N/A	2.74	2.75	N/A	N/A	2.75	2

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