Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest Level in More than Six Months

MCLEAN, Va. – The refi boom may be over, but contrary to how it looked for awhile a few months ago when it seemed mortgage rates were starting to move up, rates in fact are still hovering in the 5% range. In Freddie Mac’s primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week ending Jan. 22, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.64%, with an average 0.6 point, down from 5.66% the previous week. The 15-year mortgage rate dropped to 4.95%, also with a 0.6 point. The previous week, the 15-year averaged 4.97%, and a year earlier it average 5.31%. Freddie Mac said that’s the lowest the 30- and 15-year year fixed-rate mortgages have been since the week ending July 11, 2003. Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft attributed the low rates to the lack of any indication of inflation. With no inflationary pressure, mortgage rates have continued to slip for the past few weeks, and we expect to see no big change in rates anytime in the foreseeable future, he said.