Mortgage Rates Hold Steady as Markets wait on Further Stimulus News
Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates holding steady from the previous week and remaining near their all-time lows. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been below 4.00 percent all but once this year and the average 15-year fixed, a popular choice among refinance borrowers, has been below 3.00 percent since the last week in May.
News Facts
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) averaged 3.55 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending September 13, 2012, the same as last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.09 percent.
- 15-year fixed rate mortgages this week averaged 2.85 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.86 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.30 percent.
- 5-year adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) averaged 2.72 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.75 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.99 percent.
Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.
“Despite a lackluster August employment report, Treasury bond yields and mortgage rates were little changed this week with the financial markets speculating on further monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve. The economy added 96,000 net new workers in August, while revisions subtracted 41,000 from the prior two months; manufacturers cut 15,000 employees in August which represented the largest decline since August 2010. Meanwhile, approximately 368,000 people left the workforce thereby lowering the unemployment rate to 8.1 percent.”
Freddie Mac’s survey is the average of loans bought from lenders last week, including discount points. Applicants must pay all closing costs at these rates. No cost loan rates higher.
Follow this link to view today’s MN and WI mortgage interest rates.