Interest rates barely budge in what’s seen as a positive sign

Slight movement is a show of a stability: Freddie Mac

Interest rates barely budge in what’s seen as a positive sign

Slight movement is a show of a stability: Freddie Mac
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Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped just 0.01% over the last week, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey. The rate dropped from 6.65% last week to 6.64%. That’s lower than a year ago when the 30-year rate averaged 6.82%.

The 15-year rate dropped 0.07%, from 5.89% a week ago to 5.82%. A year ago, the 15-year mortgage rate average 6.06%.

The survey found that interest rates have settled down, only moving slightly up or down over the past few weeks, said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

“This stability is reassuring, and borrowers have responded with purchase application demand rising to the highest growth rate since late last year,” Khater said.

Overall, mortgage applications fell last week by 1.6% and 2% the week before, however. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Conventional purchases were up 3% last week.

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