Mortgage Applications Uptick in Early July

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 3, 2020, U.S. mortgage applications increased 2.2 percent from one week earlier. This week's results include an adjustment for the Fourth of July holiday.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 8 percent compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index increased 0.4 percent from the previous week and was 111 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 5 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 5 percent compared with the previous week and was 33 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

"Mortgage rates declined to another record low as renewed fears of a coronavirus resurgence offset the impacts from a week of mostly positive economic data, such as June factory orders and payroll employment. The 30-year fixed rate slipped to 3.26 percent - down 53 basis points since late March. Borrowers acted in response to these lower rates, after accounting for the July 4th holiday," said Joel Kan, MBA's Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting. "Purchase applications continued their recovery, increasing 5 percent to the highest level in almost a month and 33 percent from a year ago. The average purchase loan size increased to $365,700 - also another high - as borrowers contend with limited supply and higher home prices."

Added Kan, "Refinance applications increased slightly, driven by a 2 percent rise in conventional refinances. Overall refinance activity was up 111 percent from last year."

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 60.1 percent of total applications from 61.2 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 3.4 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 10.9 percent from 11.7 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 10.4 percent from 10.8 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications increased to 0.7 percent from 0.6 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 3.26 percent from 3.29 percent, with points decreasing to 0.35 from 0.36 (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) decreased to 3.52 percent from 3.59 percent, with points increasing to 0.36 from 0.31 (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 3.31 percent from 3.43 percent, with points decreasing to 0.24 from 0.36 (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 2.77 percent from 2.81 percent, with points decreasing to 0.32 from 0.40 (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 2.98 percent from 3.04 percent, with points increasing to 0.10 from -0.03 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.