Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), which found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) and the 15-year (FRM) rose dramatically this week. The 30-year FRM averaged 4.39 percent, with an average 0.9 point for the week ending Nov. 18, 2010, up from last week when it averaged 4.17 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.83 percent. The 15-year FRM averaged 3.76 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.57 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.32 percent.
“Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages were up to the highest level since early August and rates on shorter-maturity loans rose as well, although by somewhat lesser amounts," said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist for Freddie Mac. "Retail sales rose by nearly twice the consensus in October and represented the strongest gain since March. Moreover, consumer sentiment, as measured by the University of Michigan, ticked up in November to the highest level since June."
The five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) rose as well this week, averaging 3.40 percent, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.25 percent. A year ago, the five-year ARM averaged 4.25 percent. The one-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.26 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, unchanged from last week when it also averaged 3.26 percent. At this time last year, the one-year ARM averaged 4.35 percent.
"The housing market is showing some potential gains as well. Although new construction on one-family homes dipped 1.1 percent in October, homebuilder confidence rose in November to the strongest level since June, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index," said Nothaft. "In addition, median house prices showed positive annual growth in 77 out of 155 metropolitan areas in the third quarter of this year, with 11 exhibiting double-digit increases, according the National Association of Realtors; only 30 cities experienced positive annual gains in the third quarter of 2009."
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