According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell last week to their lowest level in two months. Rates were down across all loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, 5/1 ARMs, and 15-year fixed-rate loans.
Mike Fratantoni, MBA's senior vice president and chief economist, says the decline helped boost demand from buyers. “Incoming data last week showed that the job market is beginning to slow, which led to the 30-year fixed rate decreasing to … the lowest level in two months,” Fratantoni said. “Prospective home buyers this year have been quite sensitive to any drop in mortgage rates, and that played out last week with purchase applications increasing by 8 percent.” The MBA's weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications.
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