Fixed-Rate Mortgages Still Historically Low
McLean, VA – December 30, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which saw all but the 1-year ARM rise. This brings 30-year mortgage rates back to levels seen in May of this year, while the 15-year ties levels not seen since June. Even so, mortgage rates remain incredibly low.
News Facts
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.86 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending December 30, 2010, up from last week when it averaged 4.81 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.14 percent.
- 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.20 percent with an average 0.8 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.15 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.54 percent.
- 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.77 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.75 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 4.44 percent.
- 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 3.26 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.40 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.33 percent.
Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.
Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.
- “Interest rates on fixed mortgages and the 5-year Hybrid ARM rose slightly over the holiday week, but were still below the year’s highs set in the first half of 2010. For the year as a whole, 30-year fixed mortgage rates averaged just below 4.7 percent, which represented the lowest annual average since 1955 when secondary market yields on FHA mortgages were above 4.6 percent and the average price of a home was $22,000.
- “Recent news on housing markets has been mixed. The S&P/Case-Shiller® house price index fell 0.99 percent in October, in line with other reports showing a softening in house prices since mid-year. Home sales continue to recover in the months following the expiration of the Homebuyer Tax Credit, however, with sales of new and existing homes up 5.5 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, in November.”
Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation’s residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million renters.
Summary of Survey Results
| Fixed-Rate Mortgages | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 4.86 | 0.8 | 4.20 | 0.8 |
| Northeast | 4.88 | 0.7 | 4.21 | 0.7 |
| Southeast | 4.82 | 0.9 | 4.14 | 0.9 |
| N. Central | 4.89 | 0.6 | 4.23 | 0.6 |
| Southwest | 4.86 | 0.7 | 4.24 | 0.8 |
| West | 4.84 | 0.9 | 4.17 | 1.0 |
| Five/One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 3.77 | 0.7 | 2.75 |
| Northeast | 3.90 | 0.6 | 2.76 |
| Southeast | 3.55 | 0.7 | 2.78 |
| N. Central | 4.00 | 0.4 | 2.74 |
| Southwest | 3.67 | 0.8 | 2.77 |
| West | 3.65 | 0.9 | 2.73 |
| One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 3.26 | 0.6 | 2.76 |
| Northeast | 3.38 | 0.6 | 2.80 |
| Southeast | 3.14 | 0.8 | 2.75 |
| N. Central | 3.52 | 0.4 | 2.73 |
| Southwest | 3.38 | 0.9 | 2.77 |
| West | 3.00 | 0.6 | 2.75 |
Freddie Mac defines its regions as follows:
Northeast: NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT
Southeast: NC, SC, TN, KY, GA, AL, FL, MS, PR, VI
North Central: OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD
Southwest: TX, LA, NM, OK, AR, MO, KS, CO, NE, WY
West: CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, UT, ID, MT, HI, AK, GU
Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) is for informational purposes only and Freddie Mac is not responsible for business decisions made based on the reported results of the PMMS. In general, the data presented were calculated from information collected Monday through Wednesday of the same week that the PMMS is released and may not reflect mortgage rates, fees or points currently available from any lender. Freddie Mac may change the methodology used to conduct the PMMS at any time and without notice.
Definitions
Commitment Rate is the interest rate a lender would charge to lend mortgage money to a qualified borrower exclusive of the fees and points required by the lender. This commitment rate applies only to conventional financing on conforming mortgages with loan-to-value rates of 80 percent or less.
ARM Index is the one-year Treasury
Loan to Value Ratio (LTV) is the ratio of the loan amount of a mortgage loan to the lower of the appraisal value or purchase price of the property securing the loan.
Origination Fees and Discount Points are the total charged by the lender at settlement. One point equals one percent of the loan amount.
Margin is a fixed amount added to the underlying index to establish the fully indexed rate for an ARM.
Weighted Averages for the Primary Mortgage Market Survey have been adjusted as of October 28, 2010. The new weights use the dollar volume of conventional first-lien mortgage originations within the 1-unit Freddie Mac loan limit as reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) for 2008. The weights are listed in the table below.
| Freddie Mac Region | PMMS Weights |
|---|---|
| Northeast |
27.1 |
| Southeast |
13.6 |
| North Central |
17.2 |
| Southwest |
12.8 |
| West |
29.3 |
Primary Mortgage Market Survey Results
December 30, 2010
| 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 4.86 | 4.88 | 4.82 | 4.89 | 4.86 | 4.84 |
| Fees & Points | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| 15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 4.20 | 4.21 | 4.14 | 4.23 | 4.24 | 4.17 |
| Fees & Points | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| 5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 3.77 | 3.90 | 3.55 | 4.00 | 3.67 | 3.65 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Margin | 2.75 | 2.76 | 2.78 | 2.74 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 3.26 | 3.38 | 3.14 | 3.52 | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Fees & Points | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Margin | 2.76 | 2.80 | 2.75 | 2.73 | 2.77 | 2.75 |
| The National Mortgage Rate Snapshot | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 5.14 | 4.54 | 4.44 | 4.33 | 4.81 | 4.15 | 3.75 | 3.40 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Margin | N/A | N/A | 2.75 | 2.76 | N/A | N/A | 2.75 | 2.76 |
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