Tag Archives: Mortgage Rates

Mortgage interest rates have been hovering at their lowest levels in decades, but that's done little to sway consumers to buy a home or refinance their mortgage to take advantage of the interest savings. The economists at Freddie Mac point to several reasons for the ""missing"" originations, which they trace back to deteriorating home values. Many borrowers' home equity is so badly eroded that they don't qualify for a refinance, and potential buyers remain nervous about investing in a home absent big incentives.

Mortgage rates seem to be hitting new record lows on a weekly basis. And this week wasn't any exception, as reports released Thursday by Freddie Mac and Bankrate showed yet another decline in rates for the week ending August 4, 2010. According to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.49 percent, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to a record low of 3.95 percent. Bankrate reported the same trend of ever-declining rates. The tracking company said 30-year fixed-rate mortgages came in at 4.66 percent, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.11 percent.

Mortgage rates have hit record lows across the nation, but not as low as the rate being offered through a new program in West Virginia. According to a recent announcement by the state's governor, the West Virginia Housing Development Fund has launched a new mortgage program for West Virginia families that includes a 30-year loan at a fixed rate of approximately 3.5 percent. This historically-low rate is achieved as a result of a $35 million bond issue coupled with a special bond refunding by the Housing Development Fund. However, funds for this program are limited.

Mortgage rates continued to slide downward for the week ending July 29, 2010, marking yet another round of record lows, Freddie Mac and Bankrate reported Thursday. According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.54 percent this week, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to 4 percent. Bankrate said 30-year fixed-rate mortgages came in at 4.71 percent, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages inched down to 4.17 percent.