Mortgage rates down again

Mortgage rates eased for a second week in a row on mixed economic news, but could be poised for a rebound after the European Central Bank announced a new round of bond purchases today that undermined prices of U.S. Treasurys, pushing up yields.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.55 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending Sept. 6, down from 3.59 percent last week and 4.12 percent a year ago, Freddie Mac said in releasing the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages hit an all-time low in Freddie Mac records dating to 1971 of 3.49 percent during the week ending July 26.

For 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, rates averaged 2.86 percent with an average 0.6 point, unchanged from last week but down from 3.33 percent a year ago. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages hit a low in records dating to 1991 of 2.8 percent during the week ending July 26.

Rates on five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans averaged 2.75 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from 2.78 percent last week and 2.96 percent a year ago. Rates on five-year ARM loans hit a low in records dating to 2005 of 2.69 percent during the week ending July 19.

For one-year Treasury-indexed ARMs, rates averaged 2.61 percent with an average 0.4 point, down from 2.63 percent last week and 2.84 percent a year ago. That's a new all-time low in records dating to 1984.

A separate survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association showed demand for purchase mortgages fell a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent during the week ending Aug. 31 compared to the week before. Demand for purchase loans was up 1 percent from a year ago.

**Information found in Inman News