MOST MORTGAGE RATES DRIFT LOWER ON HOPES OF MARKET RECOVERY LATER THIS YEAR
15-Year Remains Unchanged
McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.01 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending May 15, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 6.05 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.15 percent.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 5.60 percent with an average 0.5 point, unchanged from last week when it averaged 5.60 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.87 percent.
Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 5.57 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.67 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.89 percent.
One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.18 percent this week with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it was 5.29 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.48 percent.
(Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)
"Recent remarks by Federal Reserve (Fed) officials, which partly bolstered optimism that financial markets will recover later this year, helped mortgage rates ease up a little this week," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "Fed Chairman Bernanke indicated in a speech on May 13th that the Fed stands ready to continue to add liquidity to the markets. On the same day, San Francisco Fed bank president Janet Yellen added that she anticipates inflation will slow as commodity prices level off in the second half of the year.
"Despite the bleak housing market, there was positive news on the overall state of the economy. Retail sales (excluding automobiles) rose 0.5 percent in April, over twice that of market forecasts, and there was a significant upward revision in March's figures as well. Also, the consumer price index for April rose less than expected, allaying some market concerns of inflation taking hold."
Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac purchases single-family and multifamily residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible more than 50 million times, ensuring financing for one in six homebuyers and more than four million renters.
SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS
Fixed-Rate Mortgages
Average Conventional 30-Year Commitment Rate
Fees & Points
Average Conventional 15-Year Commitment Rate
Fees & Points
US
6.01
0.6
5.60
0.5
Northeast
6.07
0.4
5.65
0.4
Southeast
5.97
0.7
5.56
0.6
N. Central
6.05
0.4
5.62
0.4
Southwest
6.05
0.6
5.62
0.5
West
5.99
0.7
5.59
0.6
Five/One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
First Commitment Rate
Fees & Points
Margin
US
5.57
0.6
2.75
Northeast
5.58
0.5
2.77
Southeast
5.57
0.6
2.76
N. Central
5.63
0.5
2.77
Southwest
5.63
0.6
2.77
West
5.54
0.7
2.73
One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
First Commitment Rate
Fees & Points
Margin
US
5.18
0.7
2.75
Northeast
5.06
0.8
2.72
Southeast
5.40
0.3
2.75
N. Central
5.15
0.3
2.80
Southwest
5.28
0.4
2.78
West
5.13
1.1
2.75
Freddie Mac defines its regions as follows:
Northeast: NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT Southeast: NC, SC, TN, KY, GA, AL, FL, PR, VI, MS North Central: OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD Southwest: TX, LA, NM, OK, AR, MO, KS, CO, NE, WY West: CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, UT, ID, MT, HI, AK, GU
Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) is for informational purposes only and Freddie Mac is not responsible for business decisions made based on the reported results of the PMMS. Freddie Mac may change the methodology used to conduct the PMMS survey at any time and without notice.
DEFINITIONS
Commitment Rate is the interest rate a lender would charge to lend mortgage money to a qualified borrower exclusive of the fees and points required by the lender. This commitment rate applies only to conventional financing on conforming mortgages with loan-to-value rates of 80 percent or less.
ARM Index - is the One-year Treasury
Loan to Value Ratio (LTV) is the ratio of the loan amount of a mortgage loan to the lower of the appraisal value or purchase price of the property securing the loan.
Origination Fees and Discount Points are the total charged by the lender at settlement. One point equals one percent of the loan amount.
Margin is a fixed amount added to the underlying index to establish the fully indexed rate for an ARM.
Weighted Averages for the Primary Mortgage Market Survey have been adjusted as of October 18, 2007. The new weights use the dollar volume of conventional mortgage originations within the 1-unit Freddie Mac loan limit as reported under Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) for 2006. The weights are listed in the table below.
Freddie Mac Region
PMMS Weights
Northeast
23.9
Southeast
20.4
North Central
14.3
Southwest
11.0
West
30.3
PRIMARY MORTGAGE MARKET SURVEY RESULTS May 15, 2008
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