Mortgage applications decreased five percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Nov. 2, 2012. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased five 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 also decreased five percent from the previous week. The Refinance Index has declined for five straight weeks and is at its lowest level since the end of August. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased five percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased seven percent compared with the previous week and was three percent lower than the same week one year ago.
“Last week’s storm had a significant impact on application volumes on the East Coast,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s VP of research and economics. “Applications fell more than 60 percent compared to the prior week in New Jersey, almost 50 percent in New York and nearly 40 percent in Connecticut. Other East Coast states also saw declines over the week, while many states in other parts of the country had increases in application volumes.”
The refinance share of mortgage activity remained constant at 80 percent of total applications from the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity was unchanged at four percent of total applications. The HARP share of refinance applications increased to 27 percent from 25 percent the prior week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) decreased to 3.61 percent from 3.65 percent, with points increasing to 0.45 from 0.39 (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 3.88 percent from 3.94 percent, with points remaining unchanged at 0.36 (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 3.37 percent from 3.41 percent, with points decreasing to 0.75 from 0.76 (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 remained unchanged at 2.95 percent, with points increasing to 0.40 from 0.35 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. The effective rate increased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs decreased to 2.61 percent from 2.66 percent, with points increasing to 0.41 from 0.33 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTVs. The effective rate decreased from last week.
