Freddie Mac PMMS: Long-term rates fall for ninth consecutive week setting another new lowMortgagePress.comFreddie Mac, statistics, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, PMMS, ARMs
Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage
Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage
(FRM) averaged 5.10 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week
ending Dec. 31, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 5.14
percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.07
percent. The 30-year FRM has not been lower since Freddie Mac
started the Primary Mortgage Market Survey in 1971.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.83 percent with an average
0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent. A
year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.68 percent. The
15-year FRM has not been lower since March 25, 2004, when it
averaged 4.70 percent.
Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages
(ARMs) averaged 5.57 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point,
up from last week when it averaged 5.49 percent. A year ago, the
5-year ARM averaged 5.78 percent.
One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 4.85 percent this week
with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged
4.95 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.47
percent. Average commitment rates should be reported along with
average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the
mortgage.
"Interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell for the
ninth straight week and represented a third consecutive all time
record low since Freddie Mac's survey began in April 1971," said
Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.
Since the end of October of this year, these rates have declined by
about 1-1/3 percentage points, or payment savings of approximately
$173 a month for a $200,000 loan. As a result, the number of
refinance applications for conventional mortgages jumped over 500
percent between the weeks ending on Oct. 31st and Dec. 26th.
"Lower rates and falling house prices are also making
homeownership more affordable to potential homebuyers. For
instance, house prices fell 18 percent over the 12-month period
ending in October, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city
composite index. Every city posted a second consecutive month of
decline in October. From its peak set in July 2006, the composite
index is down 23.4 percent."
For more information, visit www.freddiemac.com.
