Mortgage Rates in U.S. Continue to Climb, Seventh Straight Week

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According to Freddie Mac's most recent Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate in the U.S. increased for the seventh-consecutive week in 2018.

Len Kiefer, Deputy Chief Economist at Freddie Mac said, "Fixed mortgage rates increased for the seventh consecutive week, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate reaching 4.40 percent in this week's survey; the highest since April of 2014. Mortgage rates have followed U.S. Treasury's higher in anticipation of higher rates of inflation and further monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve. Following the close of our survey, the release of the FOMC minutes for February 21, 2018 sent the 10-year Treasury above 2.9 percent. If those increases stick, we will likely see mortgage rates continue to trend higher."

Freddie Mac News Facts

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.40 percent with an average 0.5 point for the week ending February 22, 2018, up from last week when it averaged 4.38 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.16 percent.

• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.85 percent with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.84 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.37 percent.

• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.65 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.63. A year ago at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.16 percent.