Long Term Mortgage Rates in U.S. Remain Flat at 4.5%

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Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) reported today the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), which shows mortgage rates mixed but holding steady for the second week with the 30-year fixed matching last week's 4.50 percent average and the 15-year fixed edging up to 3.69 percent.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac said, "Mortgage rates were virtually unchanged this week amid further indications of a soft housing market. Although new construction on single-family homes ticked up in May from April, it was still below the overall pace set in 2010. Moreover, existing home sales fell 3.8 percent in May to the fewest since November 2010."

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.50 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending June 23, 2011, unchanged from last week when it averaged 4.50 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.69 percent.

15-year FRM this week averaged 3.69 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.67 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.13 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.25 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.27 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.84 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.99 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.97 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.77 percent. 

Nothaft further commented, "The Federal Reserve also reiterated that the housing sector continues to be depressed in its June 22nd policy committee statement. The S&P/Case-Shiller National Home Price Index fell 2.1 percent between the fourth quarter of 2010 and first quarter 2011. Based on a recent survey by MarcoMarkets   of 108 professional forecasters taken in early June, the index is predicted to decline another 1.5 percent by the fourth quarter of this year."

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