Freddie Mac PMMS: Bond yields drive long-term mortgage rates to higher levelsMortgagePress.comFreddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Treasury, ARMs
Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage
Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM)
averaged 6.46 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending
Oct. 30, 2008, up from last week when it averaged 6.04 percent.
Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.26 percent.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 6.19 percent with an average
0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 5.72 percent. A year
ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.91 percent.
Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages
(ARMs) averaged 6.36 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point,
up from last week when it averaged 6.06 percent. A year ago, the
5-year ARM averaged 5.98 percent.
One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.38 percent this week
with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 5.23
percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.57
percent.
Average commitment rates should be reported along with average
fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the
mortgage.
"Long-term mortgage rates followed long-term Treasury bond
yields higher this week, pushing fixed-rate mortgages up to levels
of two weeks ago," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president
and chief economist. "The Federal Reserve's 0.50 percentage point
cut in the discount rate and federal funds target rate on Wednesday
was widely anticipated in the financial markets and is likely to
keep short-term interest rates low; consequently, initial interest
rates on ARMs, which tend to be set relative to other short-term
rates, may remain near current levels.
"In other news, house-price declines in many markets have
improved housing affordability and stimulated home sales. In
September, sales of existing homes rose 5.5 percent while sales of
new homes were up 2.7 percent, at a seasonally-adjusted annual
rate."
For more information, visit www.freddiemac.com.
