Primary Mortgage Market Survey Press Release
LONG-TERM RATES DOWN FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK
September 17, 2009
Contact: corprel@freddiemac.com
or (703) 903-3933
Shorter-Term Rates Are Mixed
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 5.04 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending September 17, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 5.07 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.78 percent. The last time the 30-year FRM was lower was the week ending May 28, 2009, when it averaged 4.91 percent.
The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.47 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.50 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.35 percent. This is the lowest the 15-year FRM has been since Freddie Mac started tracking it in 1991.
The five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.51 percent this week, with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.51 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.67 percent.
The one-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.58 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.64 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.03 percent.
(Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)
“Interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages eased for the third consecutive week and remained at 3-month lows,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have averaged just above 5 percent through mid-September, which is roughly a percentage point below last year’s average and suggests that 2009 may reach a record annual low since the survey began in 1971.
“Low mortgage rates are aiding new home construction. Housing starts for single family homes have increased consecutively over the five past months ending in July, although starts eased slightly in August. Moreover, homebuilder confidence improved for the third straight month in September, with all four regions showing positive gains, according the National Association of Home Builder’s Housing Market Index.”
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
| Fixed-Rate Mortgages | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Conventional 30-Year Commitment Rate |
Fees & Points | Average Conventional 15-Year Commitment Rate |
Fees & Points | |
| US | 5.04 | 0.7 | 4.47 | 0.6 |
| Northeast | 5.06 | 0.6 | 4.49 | 0.6 |
| Southeast | 5.04 | 0.7 | 4.48 | 0.7 |
| N. Central | 5.07 | 0.7 | 4.47 | 0.7 |
| Southwest | 5.05 | 0.6 | 4.54 | 0.5 |
| West | 5.00 | 0.7 | 4.41 | 0.7 |
| Five/One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Commitment Rate | Fees & Points | Margin | |
| US | 4.51 | 0.5 | 2.74 |
| Northeast | 4.56 | 0.4 | 2.73 |
| Southeast | 4.26 | 0.7 | 2.75 |
| N. Central | 4.90 | 0.6 | 2.74 |
| Southwest | 4.47 | 0.5 | 2.77 |
| West | 4.45 | 0.5 | 2.73 |
| One-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Commitment Rate | Fees & Points | Margin | |
| US | 4.58 | 0.5 | 2.75 |
| Northeast | 4.18 | 0.4 | 2.74 |
| Southeast | 4.90 | 0.4 | 2.75 |
| N. Central | 4.68 | 0.6 | 2.73 |
| Southwest | 4.88 | 0.3 | 2.83 |
| West | 4.50 | 0.6 | 2.75 |
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
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 16, 2008. 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 2007. The weights are listed in the table below.
| Freddie Mac Region | PMMS Weights |
| Northeast | 24.2 |
| Southeast | 19.8 |
| North Central | 15.1 |
| Southwest | 12.7 |
| West | 28.2 |
Primary Mortgage Market Survey Results
September 17, 2009
| 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 5.04 | 5.06 | 5.04 | 5.07 | 5.05 | 5.00 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.47 | 4.49 | 4.48 | 4.47 | 4.54 | 4.41 |
| Fees & Points | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| 5/1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.51 | 4.56 | 4.26 | 4.90 | 4.47 | 4.45 |
| Fees & Points | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Margin | 2.74 | 2.73 | 2.75 | 2.74 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 1-Year Adjustable Rate Mortgages | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | NE | SE | NC | SW | W | |
| Average | 4.58 | 4.18 | 4.90 | 4.68 | 4.88 | 4.50 |
| Fees & Points | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Margin | 2.75 | 2.74 | 2.75 | 2.73 | 2.83 | 2.75 |
| The National Mortgage Rate Snapshot | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Year Ago | One Week Ago | |||||||
| 30-YR | 15-YR | 5/1-YR | 1-YR ARM | 30-YR | 15-YR | 5/1-YR | 1-YR ARM | |
| Average | 5.93 | 5.54 | 5.87 | 5.21 | 5.07 | 4.50 | 4.51 | 4.64 |
| Fees & Points | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Margin | N/A | N/A | 2.73 | 2.73 | N/A | N/A | 2.74 | 2.75 |