Mortgage Applications in U.S. Increase in Mid-August

---

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 15, 2014, mortgage applications increased 1.4 percent from one week earlier.
 
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 1.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.  On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 1 percent compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index increased 3 percent from the previous week.  The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 0.4 percent from one week earlier.  The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 2 percent compared with the previous week and was 11 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

"Interest rates dropped last week as a result of the ongoing turmoil in Ukraine and other international concerns, which in turn pushed mortgage rates lower," said Mike Fratantoni, MBA's Chief Economist.  "Overall application volume for conventional mortgages increased.  However, there was a 5.9 percent decline in the number of applications for government mortgages, with both purchase and refinance applications declining.  Within the government sector, this decline was led by an 8 percent decline in unadjusted Department of Veterans Affairs applications, while Federal Housing Administration and Rural Housing Service unadjusted applications also fell by 5 percent and 3 percent respectively."

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 55 percent of total applications from 54 percent the previous week.  The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 7.8 percent of total applications.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) decreased to 4.29 percent from 4.35 percent, with points increasing to 0.26 from  0.22 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) decreased to 4.18 percent from 4.24 percent, with points increasing to 0.23 from 0.19 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA decreased to 3.99 percent from 4.04 percent, while points remained unchanged at 0.03 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 3.44 percent from 3.48 percent, while points remained unchanged at 0.30 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs decreased to 3.10 percent from 3.24 percent, with points decreasing to 0.44 from 0.45 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.