After a Rising Streak, Mortgage Rates Slow
After an April run-up, mortgage rates have slowed, with the average 30-year, fixed rate at 4.55 percent this week, down from 4.58 percent the prior week, according to Freddie Mac’s recently released Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®). The average 15-year, fixed rate, however, was at 4.03 percent, up from 4.02 percent the prior week—but the average five-year, Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable rate was 3.69 percent, a tumble from 3.74 percent the prior week.
“While mortgage rates have increased by one-half of a percentage point so far this year, it has not impacted home purchase demand, which continues to grow this spring,” says Sam Khater, chief economist at Freddie Mac. “The observed buyer resiliency in the face of higher rates reflects the healthy economy and strong consumer confidence, which are important drivers of home sales activity. It’s also good news that first-time buyers appear to be having more success so far this year, despite higher borrowing costs and home prices. Our data through April show that first-timers represent 46 percent of purchase loans, up from 43 percent over the same period a year ago.”
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