Mortgage Applications in U.S. Dip in Late November

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 29, 2019, mortgage applications decreased 9.2 percent from one week earlier. This week's results include an adjustment for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 9.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 38 percent compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index decreased 16 percent from the previous week and was 61 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 33 percent compared with the previous week and was 24 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

"U.S. Treasury rates stayed flat last week, as uncertainty surrounding the U.K. elections offset positive domestic news on consumer spending," said Joel Kan, MBA's Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting. "Despite the 30-year fixed rate remaining unchanged at 3.97 percent, mortgage applications fell last week, driven down by a 16 percent drop in refinances. Purchase applications were up slightly but declined 24 percent from a year ago. This week's year-over-year comparisons were distorted by Thanksgiving being a week later this year."

Added Kan, "The purchase market overall looks healthy as we enter the home stretch of 2019. The seasonally adjusted purchase index was at its highest level since July, as a combination of wage gains, slower home-price appreciation, and slightly easing inventory conditions continue to support increased activity."

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 59.0 percent of total applications from 62.0 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity remained unchanged at 4.8 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications increased to 12.0 percent from 11.7 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 12.7 percent from 14.1 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged from 0.5 percent the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($484,350 or less) remained unchanged at 3.97 percent, with points increasing to 0.32 from 0.30 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $484,350) increased to 3.91 percent from 3.87 percent, with points decreasing to 0.26 from 0.29 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.

The effective rate increased from last week. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 3.83 percent from 3.79 percent, with points increasing to 0.31 from 0.23 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 3.83 percent from 3.79 percent, with points increasing to 0.31 from 0.23 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 3.37 percent from 3.38 percent, with points increasing to 0.28 from 0.27 (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 3.28 percent from 3.42 percent, with points increasing to 0.27 from 0.22 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.