Mortgage Applications Increase in Mid-November

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 20, 2020, U.S. Mortgage applications increased 3.9 percent from one week earlier.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 3 percent compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index increased 5 percent from the previous week and was 79 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 4 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 2 percent compared with the previous week and was 19 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

"30-year fixed mortgage rates dropped seven basis points to 2.92 percent, another record low in MBA's survey. Weekly mortgage rate volatility has emerged again, as markets respond to fiscal policy uncertainty and a resurgence in COVID-19 cases around the country. The decline in rates ignited borrower interest, with applications for both home purchases and refinancing increasing on a weekly and annual basis," said Joel Kan, MBA's Associate Vice President of Industry and Economic Forecasting. "The ongoing refinance wave has continued into November. Both the refinance index and the share of refinance applications were at their highest levels since April, as another week of lower rates drew more conventional loan borrowers into the market."

Added Kan, "Amidst strong competition for a limited supply of homes for sale, as well as rapidly increasing home prices, purchase applications increased for both conventional and government borrowers. Furthermore, purchase activity has surpassed year-ago levels for over six months."

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 71.1 percent of total applications from 69.8 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity remained unchanged at 1.9 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 10.0 percent from 10.5 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 11.8 percent from 12.1 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications decreased to 0.4 percent from 0.5 percent the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($510,400 or less) decreased to a survey low of 2.92 percent from 2.99 percent, with points decreasing to 0.35 from 0.37 (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 $510,400) increased to 3.18 percent from 3.11 percent, with points decreasing to 0.27 from 0.28 (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 decreased to a survey low of 2.99 percent from 3.11 percent, with points decreasing to 0.27 from 0.37 (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 a survey low of 2.51 percent from 2.59 percent, with points decreasing to 0.34 from 0.35 (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 2.63 percent from 2.84 percent, with points decreasing to 0.44 from 0.53 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.