According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell last week from the week before. 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, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. The decline helped push demand for loan applications higher week over week. In fact, refinance activity moved up 7 percent and the purchase index was up 3 percent. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says buyers returned to the market, but conditions remain challenging. “Purchase applications were also strong last week, increasing just under 3 percent and down only 4 percent from last year’s pace,” Kan said. “The dip in rates might have helped to bring some buyers back into the market, but housing inventory is still extremely low and price growth remains elevated.” Overall, mortgage application demand was up 5.5 percent from one week earlier. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. (source)
