Mortgage Interest Rates Decline for Second Consecutive Week

April 28, 2011 (Shirley Allen)

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which shows mortgage rates falling for the second consecutive week amid the reporting of weak economic data. The 30-year fixed-rate stands at 4.78 percent; the 15-year fixed at 3.97 percent, the lowest since December 9, 2010.

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.78 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 28, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.80 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.06 percent.

• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.97 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.02 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.39 percent.

• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.51 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.61 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.00 percent.

• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.15 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.16 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.25 percent.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac, stated, "Mortgage rates followed Treasury bond yields lower this week amid weak local economic data reports on business conditions and house prices. Regional Federal Reserve Banks reported that business and manufacturing activities declined in Philadelphia, Dallas and Richmond in April. In addition, the S&P/Case-Shiller® 20-city composite home price index recorded year-over-year declines through February in 19 of the 20 markets.

And…

"Declining home prices and a high level of foreclosures continue to affect housing tenure decisions. Between the third quarter of last year and the first quarter of 2011, the housing stock experienced a decline of nearly 400,000 homeowners on net, according to the Census Bureau. However, the National Association of Realtors® reported that during the same period there were almost 700,000 first-time homebuyers, which suggests gross losses may have been closer to 1.1 million homeowners over the October-through-March timeframe."

30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	4.78	4.81	4.79	4.80	4.81	4.71
Fees & Points	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.8

15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.97	4.01	3.98	3.98	4.06	3.90
Fees & Points	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.8

5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.51	3.70	3.46	3.55	3.47	3.36
Fees & Points	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.3	0.6	0.8
Margin	2.75	2.76	2.75	2.72	2.76	2.74

1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages	US	NE	SE	NC	SW	W
Average	3.15	3.25	2.97	3.56	3.10	2.91
Fees & Points	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.3	0.9	0.6
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	5.06	4.39	4.00	4.25	4.80	4.02	3.61	3.16
Fees & Points	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6
Margin	N/A	N/A	2.75	2.75	N/A	N/A	2.74	2.76

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