Mortgage Rates Break All-time Record, Under 5% for 23 Consecutive Weeks

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According to McLean, VA - based Freddie Mac's (OTC:FMCC) latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey  (PMMS), the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate fell again to break the survey's all-time low; the 30-year FRM has been under 5 percent for 23 weeks in a row. The last time 30-year FRM rates were this low was April 1951 (based on a data series of FHA rates going back to 1948). The 5-year ARM tied the all-time survey low set last week.

Freddie Mac's chief economist Frank Nothaft said, "September's employment report held no big surprises to financial markets, allowing long-term bond yields and fix mortgage rates to continue to ease. As a result, both the 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgage rates hit all-time record lows for the third consecutive week.
Quick Facts

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.19 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending October 14, 2010, down from last week when it averaged 4.27 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.92 percent.

• 15-year FRM this week averaged a record low of 3.62 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.72 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.37 percent.

• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.47 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, tied with last week when it also averaged 3.47 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.38 percent.

• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.43 percent this week with an average 0.8 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.40 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.60 percent .

 
Nothaft further commented, "Historically low rates have spurred yet another refinancing wave. Conventional mortgage applications for refinance jumped 24 percent over the week of October 8th to the strongest pace since mid-April 2009, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that homeowners held an average effective mortgage rate of 6.07 percent in the second quarter of 2010. By refinancing into this week's 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the average homeowner could save over $230 a month in principal and interest payments on a $200,000 loan balance."



Freddie Mac defines its regions as follows:

Northeast: NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT
Southeast: NC, SC, TN, KY, GA, AL, FL, MS, PR, VI
North Central: OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD
Southwest: TX, LA, NM, OK, AR, MO, KS, CO, NE, WY
West: CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, UT, ID, MT, HI, AK, GU

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