30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Drops to 4.8 Percent

April 21, 2011

Mortgage rates dropped after four consecutive weeks of inching higher, according to the latest Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.80 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 21, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent, Freddie Mac reported. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.07 percent.

"Low inflation is keeping mortgage rates at bay,” said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac. “The core consumer price index rose just 0.1 percent in March, below the market consensus forecast. The 12-month growth rate in core prices was 1.2 percent, which is also rather low by historical standards.”

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.02 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 4.39 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.61 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.78 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.03 percent.

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.16 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.25 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.22 percent.


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