Mortgage Rates Rise Again, Say Freddie Mac

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(MCLEAN, VA) - According to Freddie Mac's (NYSE:FRE) newest results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.81 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 10, 2009. This is an uptick in rates from last week when it averaged 4.71 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.47 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.32 percent with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.27 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.20 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.26 percent this week, with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.19 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.82 percent. 

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.24 percent this week with an average 0.7 point, down slightly from last week when it averaged 4.25 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.09 percent. 

"Following an upbeat employment report, long-term bond yields rose slightly and fixed mortgage rates followed," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "The economy shed only 11,000 jobs in November, far fewer than the market consensus forecast, and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 10 percent. In addition, revisions added 159,000 jobs to September and October."

"Notwithstanding, rates on 30-year fixed mortgages are almost 0.7 percentage points below those at the same time last year. This translates into an $81 lower monthly payment on a $200,000 conventional mortgage."

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million renters.

Summary of Survey Results



Freddie Mac defines its regions as follows:

Northeast: NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT
Southeast: NC, SC, TN, KY, GA, AL, FL, MS, PR, VI
North Central: OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD
Southwest: TX, LA, NM, OK, AR, MO, KS, CO, NE, WY
West: CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, UT, ID, MT, HI, AK, GU

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