Record Low Mortgage Rates Helping To Stir The Housing Market
July 19, 2012
The average 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgage hit new all-time record lows, while the 5-year ARM also hit a new low, according to the latest Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.
The average 30-year fixed has been below 4.00 percent all but one week in 2012. The average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage has been below 3.00 percent for eight consecutive weeks.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.53 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending July 19, 2012, down from last week when it averaged 3.56 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.52 percent.
Meanwhile, 15-year FRM this week averaged 2.83 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.86 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.66 percent.
"With little signs of inflation and the Federal Reserve's ‘Operation Twist’ keeping U.S. Treasury bond yields in check, fixed mortgage rates are remaining low and helping to stir the housing market,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist.
The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.69 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.74 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.27 percent.
The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.69 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, the same as last week. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.97 percent.
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