Fixed Mortgage Rates Move Higher for Second Consecutive Week
St Paul, MN: Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates moving higher following stronger-than-expected employment reports. The 30-year fixed averaged 3.59 percent, and the 15-year fixed averaged, 2.84 percent, still near the historic low.
News Facts
- 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.59 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending August 9, 2012, up from last week when it averaged 3.55 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.32 percent.
- 15-year mortgage rates this week averaged 2.84 percent with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.83 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.50 percent.
- 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.77 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.75 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.13 percent.
- 1-year ARM averaged 2.65 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.70 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.89 percent.
Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.
- “Fixed mortgage rates inched up again this week following stronger-than-expected employment reports. The economy added 163,000 jobs in July, well above the market consensus forecast of 100,000, and the largest increase since February. In addition, the number of announced corporate layoffs fell 45 percent in July compared to last July and was the third time this year that announced layoffs were less than the same month in 2011 according to The Challenger Report. This suggests further net gains in employment are likely in the near future.”
Freddie Mac’s survey is the average of loans bought from lenders last week, including discount points. Follow this link to view today’s MN and WI mortgage interest rates.