30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Averages 4.08 Percent

MCLEAN, Va., March 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing mortgage rates continuing to follow bond yields higher amid improving economic data. The average 30-fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.08 percent for the week clearing the 4 percent barrier for the first time since October 27, 2011, when it averaged 4.10 percent. 

News Facts

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.08 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending March 22, 2012, up from last week when it averaged 3.92 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.81 percent. 
• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.30 percent with an average 0.8 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.16 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.04 percent. 
• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.96 percent this week, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.83 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.62 percent.
• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.84 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.79 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.21 percent.  

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes

Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

• "Mortgage rates are catching up with increases in U.S. Treasury bond yields placing the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate above 4 percent for the first time since the end of October 2011. Bond yields rose over the past two weeks in part due to an improving assessment of the state of the economy by the Federal Reserve, better than expected results of commercial bank stress tests and the likelihood of a second bailout for Greece. Meanwhile, consumers continued to reduce their debt burdens in the fourth quarter of 2011. For instance, homeowners reduced their financial obligations ratio (debt payments as a share of disposable income) to the lowest point since the second quarter of 1994."

Get the latest information from Freddie Mac's Office of the Chief Economist on Twitter:@FreddieMac

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million renters.

SOURCE Freddie Mac