Good News: Mortgage rates fall for a second week
July 19, 2008
Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages fell for the second week in a row on increased speculation that the Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates before the end of the year.
30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.26% with an average 0.6 of a point in the week ending Thursday, down from 6.37% last week. Last year at this time, the 30-year loan averaged 6.73%.
The 15-year fixed rate mortgage this week averaged 5.78% with an average 0.6 of a point, down from last week when it averaged 5.91%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 6.38%.
Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 5.80% this week, with an average 0.6 of a point, down from last week when it averaged 5.82%. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 6.35%.
One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.10% this week with an average 0.6 of a point, down from last week when it averaged 5.17%. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.72%.
A point, or “discount point,” can be purchased at the time of closing to decrease the mortgage rate. Each point costs 1% of the loan amount and each point that a borrower purchases lowers the the loan interest rate.
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