Mortgage applications decreased 4.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Aug. 24, 2012. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 4.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased five percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased six percent from the previous week to its lowest level since May 11, 2012. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased more than one percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased almost one percent compared with the previous week.
The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 79 percent of total applications from 80 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to four percent of total applications.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) decreased to 3.80 percent from 3.86 percent, with points remaining unchanged at 0.42 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,500) decreased to 4.06 percent from 4.11 percent, with points decreasing to 0.34 from 0.42 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA decreased to 3.60 percent from 3.62 percent, with points decreasing to 0.48 from 0.50 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 3.12 percent from 3.15 percent, with points remaining unchanged at 0.44 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. The effective rate decreased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs decreased to 2.68 percent from 2.74 percent, with points decreasing to 0.36 from 0.38 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. This is the lowest 5/1 rate reported since MBA began tracking the series. The effective rate decreased from last week.
