NEW YORK, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mortgage rates fell for the seventh time in the past eight weeks and set a new record for the fourth consecutive week. The average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped below the 4 percent mark for the first time ever, down to 3.97 percent, according to Bankrate.com's (NYSE: RATE) weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040122/FLTHLOGO )
To see mortgage rates in your area, go to http://www.bankrate.com/funnel/mortgages/
The average 15-year fixed mortgage rate held at 3.2 percent while the jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage sank to another record low of 4.52 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates were mixed, with the average 1-year adjustable slipping to 3.11 percent, while the popular 5-year ARM ticked higher to 3 percent.
The ongoing European debt crisis is producing another flight to quality, where investors gravitate to safe-haven investments such as U.S. Treasuries. Mortgage rates, which are closely related to yields on U.S. Treasuries, have been direct beneficiaries, falling to new lows. As long as uncertainty prevails, mortgage rates are likely to remain at these ultra-low levels.
The last time mortgage rates were above 6 percent was Nov. 2008. At the time, the average 30-year fixed rate was 6.33 percent, meaning a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,241.86. With the average rate now 3.97 percent, the monthly payment for the same size loan would be $951.37, a difference of $290 per month for anyone refinancing now.
SURVEY RESULTS
30-year fixed: 3.97% -- down from 4.02% last week (avg. points: 0.44)
15-year fixed: 3.20% -- unchanged from last week (avg. points: 0.40)
5/1 ARM: 3.00% -- up from 2.99% last week (avg. points: 0.33)
Bankrate's national weekly mortgage survey is conducted each Wednesday from data provided by the top 10 banks and thrifts in the top 10 markets.
For a full analysis of this week's move in mortgage rates, go to http://www.bankrate.com/mortgagerates
The survey is complemented by Bankrate's weekly Rate Trend Index, in which a panel of mortgage experts predicts which way the rates are headed over the next seven days. The majority of the panelists, 58 percent, see little change in mortgage rates over the next seven days. The remainder are evenly split, with 21 percent predicting an increase in mortgage rates and an equal 21 percent forecasting a decrease in the coming week.
For the full mortgage Rate Trend Index, go to http://www.bankrate.com/RTI
About Bankrate, Inc.
Bankrate is a leading publisher, aggregator, and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. Bankrate provides consumers with proprietary, fully researched, comprehensive, independent and objective personal finance editorial content across multiple vertical categories including mortgages, deposits, insurance, credit cards, and other categories, such as retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. The Bankrate network includes Bankrate.com, our flagship website, and other owned and operated personal finance websites, including CreditCards.com, Interest.com, Bankaholic.com, Mortgage-calc.com, CreditCardGuide.com, Nationwide Card Services, InsuranceQuotes.com, CarInsuranceQuotes.com, InsureMe, Bankrate.com.cn, CreditCards.ca, NetQuote.com, and CD.com. Bankrate aggregates rate information from over 4,800 institutions on more than 300 financial products. With coverage of nearly 600 local markets in all 50 U.S. states, Bankrate generates over 172,000 distinct rate tables capturing on average over three million pieces of information daily. Bankrate develops and provides web services to over 80 co-branded websites with online partners, including some of the most trusted and frequently visited personal finance sites on the Internet such as Yahoo!, AOL, CNBC, and Bloomberg. In addition, Bankrate licenses editorial content to over 500 newspapers on a daily basis including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.
For more information contact:
Ted Rossman
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
(917) 368-8635
SOURCE Bankrate, Inc.
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article