June 11, 2009

MORTGAGE RATES AT HIGHEST LEVEL IN SEVEN MONTHS


30-year fixed-rate mortgage: Averaged 5.59 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending June 11, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 5.29 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.32 percent. The last time the 30-year FRM was higher was the week ending November 26, 2008, when it averaged 5.97 percent.

15-year fixed-rate mortgage: Averaged 5.06 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.79 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.93 percent. The last time the 15-year FRM was higher was the week ending December 11, 2008, when it averaged 5.20 percent.

Five-year Treasury adjustable-rate mortgages ARMs: Averaged 5.17 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.85 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.70 percent. The last time the 5-year ARM was higher was the week ending February 12, 2009, when it averaged 5.23 percent.

One-year ARMs: Averaged 5.04 percent this week with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.81 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.09 percent. The last time the 1-year ARM was higher was the week ending December 11, 2008, when it averaged 5.09 percent.

Freddie Says:

Mortgage rates followed the increase in bond yields this week as the May employment report showed that the economy lost fewer jobs than the market consensus had expected, said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. Revisions to the jobs report for earlier months also showed the job loss was not as large as early estimates had indicated: March and April figures were revised to add an additional 82,000 jobs to the work force.

As a result, federal unds futures rose after the report, signaling that the market expects the Federal Reserve may raise its benchmark rate sooner rather than later. Higher mortgage rates are slowing refinancing activity but not demand for home purchases. Over the three-weeks ending June 5th, interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose nearly one-half of a percentage point. As a result, conventional mortgage applications for refinance fell each week during this period while applications for home purchases consecutively rose, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Howard Bell
www.yourpropertypath.com
A web site of over 450 articles related to real estate focused primarily on property management.

Your Property PathSF
http://yourpropertypath.blogspot.com/
Trade talk for the San Francisco real estate industry. Your source for property management tips, policies and market trends.

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