Freddie Mac Weekly Update: 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Drops for Third Consecutive Week

30-year fixed-rate mortgage:averaged 4.87 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending March 3, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.95 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.97 percent

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage: averaged 4.15 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.22 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.33 percent.

Five-year indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages ARMs: averaged 3.72 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point , down from last week when it averaged 3.8 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.11 percent.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs: averaged 3.23 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.4 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.27 percent.

Freddie Sayz

Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac

Mortgage rates saw an overall improvement this week. Interest rates for 30-year fixed mortgages were almost 0.2 percentage points below this years high set just three weeks ago. This means that homebuyers could now expect to pay $263 less per year on a $200,000 loan

However, housing demand still remains weak. New home sales in January were near record lows dating back to 1963 when the data began, according to the Census Bureau . Similarly, pending sales of existing homes fell for the second consecutive month in January, according to the National Association of Realtor


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