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For Immediate Release
April 23, 2009
LONG-TERM RATES NOW LOWER THAN SHORT-TERMFixed-Rates Hover Just Above All Time Low In Freddie Mac Weekly Survey McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.80 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 23, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.82 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.03 percent. The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.48 percent with an average 0.7 point, unchanged from last week. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.62 percent. This is tied with last week for the lowest the 15-year FRM has been since Freddie Mac began tracking it in August 1991. Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 4.85 percent this week, with an average 06 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.88 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.68 percent. This is the lowest the 5-year ARM has been since Freddie Mac began tracking it in January 2005. One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 4.82 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.91 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.29 percent. (Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.) "Although long-term mortgage rates eased slightly this week, ARM rates remain elevated relative to those fixed-rate mortgages," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "For instance, interest rates for 1-year ARMs exceeded those for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages over the last two weeks; this is the first time this has happened since Freddie Mac began collecting data for ARMs in January 1984. "The housing market is showing further signs of possible improvement. House prices rose for the second consecutive month in February, the first back-to-back increase since April 2007, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Among the nine Census divisions, six experienced positive gains in February, led by a monthly increase of 3.8 percent in the Pacific Division." 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. Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation established by Congress in 1970 to support homeownership and rental housing. Freddie Mac purchases single-family and multifamily residential mortgages and mortgage-related securities, which it finances primarily by issuing mortgage-related securities and debt instruments in the capital markets. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible more than 50 million times, ensuring financing for one in six homebuyers and more than four 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 Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) is for informational purposes only and Freddie Mac is not responsible for business decisions made based on the reported results of the PMMS. Freddie Mac may change the methodology used to conduct the PMMS survey at any time and without notice. DEFINITIONS Commitment Rate is the interest rate a lender would charge to lend mortgage money to a qualified borrower exclusive of the fees and points required by the lender. This commitment rate applies only to conventional financing on conforming mortgages with loan-to-value rates of 80 percent or less. ARM Index - is the One-year Treasury Loan to Value Ratio (LTV) is the ratio of the loan amount of a mortgage loan to the lower of the appraisal value or purchase price of the property securing the loan. Origination Fees and Discount Points are the total charged by the lender at settlement. One point equals one percent of the loan amount. Margin is a fixed amount added to the underlying index to establish the fully indexed rate for an ARM. Weighted Averages for the Primary Mortgage Market Survey have been adjusted as of October 18, 2007. The new weights use the dollar volume of conventional mortgage originations within the 1-unit Freddie Mac loan limit as reported under Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) for 2006. The weights are listed in the table below.
PRIMARY MORTGAGE MARKET SURVEY RESULTS
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| 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.80 | 4.83 | 4.80 | 4.85 | 4.72 | 4.78 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.48 | 4.49 | 4.48 | 4.52 | 4.50 | 4.44 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.85 | 4.75 | 4.72 | 5.08 | 4.77 | 4.95 |
| Fees & Points | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Margin | 2.75 | 2.73 | 2.75 | 2.74 | 2.78 | 2.75 |
| 1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.82 | 4.35 | 5.03 | 5.08 | 5.00 | 4.88 |
| Fees & Points | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Margin | 2.76 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.73 | 2.83 | 2.75 |
| The National Mortgage Rate Snapshot | ||||||||
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| 30-YR | 15-YR | 5/1-YR | 1-YR ARM | 30-YR | 15-YR | 5/1-YR | 1-YR ARM | |
| Average | 5.88 | 5.40 | 5.48 | 5.10 | 4.82 | 4.48 | 4.88 | 4.91 |
| Fees & Points | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Margin | N/A | N/A | 2.75 | 2.75 | N/A | N/A | 2.74 | 2.75 |
| © 2009 Freddie Mac |
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