Interest Rates Dip Nationwide in June

Nationally, interest rates on mortgages decreased from May to June, according to an index of new mortgage contracts. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders index was 4.08 percent for loans closed in late June. The index is calculated using FHFA's Monthly Interest Rate Survey. The contract rate on the composite of all mortgage loans was 4.09 percent in June, a decrease from 4.13 percent in May. Interest rates are typically locked in 30-45 days before a loan is closed. Consequently, the June index reflects market rates from mid-to-late May. The effective interest rate was 4.24 percent in June, down four basis points from 4.28 percent in May. The effective interest rate accounts for the addition of initial fees and charges over the life of the mortgage. FHFA's interest rate survey shows the average interest rate on conventional, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages of $417,000 or less was 4.34 in June, a decrease of three basis points. The average loan amount for all loans was $292,200 in June, up $9,600 from $282,600 in May.