U.S. Mortgage Rates Ease in Late November

---

According to Freddie Mac's latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate declining slightly leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage hasn't risen above 4 percent since the week of July 23rd of this year, which is helping homebuyer affordability in the face of rising house prices due to low levels of inventory in many markets.

Sean Becketti, chief economist of Freddie Mac said, "In a quiet week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, the 30-year mortgage rate dipped 2 basis points to 3.95 percent. Economic releases over the last week contained no major surprises, and none are expected in the next few days. The year is winding down, and the only remaining market dates of note are December 4 -- the last employment report of the year -- and December 15-16, the long-awaited FOMC meeting."

Freddie Mac News Facts

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.95 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 25, 2015, down from last week when it averaged 3.97 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.97 percent. 

• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.18 percent with an average 0.6 point, unchanged from last week. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.17 percent. 

• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.01 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.98 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.01 percent.

• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.59 percent this week with an average 0.3 point, down from 2.64 percent last week. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.44 percent.