U.S. Mortgage Rates Hit New Historic Record Lows

According to Freddie Mac's latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS),fixed mortgage rates in the U.S. found new record lows for the second consecutive week keeping borrowing costs attractive to support the ongoing housing recovery.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac says, "Fixed mortgage rates continued to ease somewhat this week to record lows and should help the ongoing housing recovery. Already, new construction on homes was up 3.6 percent in October to the strongest pace since July 2008. In November, homebuilder confidence rose for the sixth straight month to its highest reading since June 2006 according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. And existing home sales increased 2.1 percent in October to an annualized pace of 4.79 million, exceeding the market consensus forecast."

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.31 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 21, 2012, down from last week when it averaged 3.34 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.98 percent.

15-year FRM this week averaged 2.63 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.65 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.30 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.74 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, the same as last week. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.91 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.56 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.55 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.79 percent.