Mortgage Applications Spike 8 Percent in Mid-June

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 12, 2020, U.S. mortgage applications increased 8.0 percent from one week earlier.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 8.0 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 7 percent compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index increased 10 percent from the previous week and was 106 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 increased 2 percent compared with the previous week and was 21 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

"Purchase applications increased to the highest level in over 11 years and for the ninth consecutive week. The housing market continues to experience the release of unrealized pent-up demand from earlier this spring, as well as a gradual improvement in consumer confidence," said Joel Kan, MBA's Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting. "Mortgage rates dropped to another record low in MBA's survey, leading to a 10 percent surge in refinance applications. Refinancing continues to support households' finances, as homeowners who refinance are able to gain savings on their monthly mortgage payments in a still-uncertain period of the economic recovery."

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 63.2 percent of total applications from 61.3 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity decreased to 2.8 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 11.0 percent from 11.5 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 11.5 percent from 12.3 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 3.30 percent from 3.38 percent, the lowest level in survey history, with points decreasing to 0.29 from 0.30 (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 3.67 percent from 3.70 percent, with points increasing to 0.28 from 0.26 (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 3.33 percent from 3.38 percent, with points decreasing to 0.23 from 0.24 (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 2.80 percent from 2.83 percent, with points increasing to 0.28 from 0.26 (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 increased to 3.07 percent from 3.02 percent, with points increasing to 0.29 from 0.27 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.