Mortgage Rates Reverse Course on Positive Housing Data

News provided by

Freddie Mac

Jan 26, 2012, 10:00 ET

McLEAN, Va., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average mortgage rates climbing as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.98 percent reversing its previous three-week trend of setting all-time record lows. Despite the jump, this marks the eighth consecutive week the 30-year fixed has remained below 4.00 percent.

News Facts

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.98 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending January 26, 2012, up from last week when it averaged 3.88 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.80 percent. 
  • 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.24 percent with an average 0.8 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.17 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.09 percent. 
  • 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.85 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.82 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.70 percent.
  • 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.74 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, matching last week when it averaged 2.74 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.26 percent.  

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes

Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

  • "Fixed mortgage rates ticked up this week as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note.  New construction of one-family homes rose 4.4 percent in December to an annualized rate of 470,000, the most since April 2010. Existing home sales increased 5.0 percent at the end of the year to 4.61 million houses, the largest amount since May 2010. Furthermore, pending home sales in November and December averaged the highest reading since the March and April 2010 period."

Get the latest information from Freddie Mac's Office of the Chief Economist on Twitter:@FreddieMac

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.

SOURCE Freddie Mac

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