Mortgage rates expected to mostly stay put in 2013

Refinancings still account for most home loan originations

By Inman News, Thursday, January 3, 2013.

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Mortgage rates remained near historic lows this week, but more than eight out of 10 home loan applications submitted in recent weeks have been for refinancings, surveys by industry groups show.
Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.34 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending Jan. 3, down from 3.35 percent last week and 3.91 percent a year ago, Freddie Mac said in releasing the results of its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate loans hit a low in Freddie Mac records dating to 1971 of 3.31 percent during the week ending Nov. 21.
For 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, rates averaged 2.64 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from 2.65 percent last week and 3.23 percent a year ago. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a low in Freddie Mac records dating to 1991 of 2.63 percent during the week ending Nov. 21.

Rates on five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans averaged 2.71 percent with an average 0.6 point, up from 2.70 percent last week but down from 2.86 percent a year ago. Rates on five-year ARM loans hit a low in records dating to 2005 of 2.69 percent during the week ending Dec. 6.

For one-year Treasury-indexed ARM loans, rates averaged 2.57 percent with an average 0.4 point, up from 2.56 percent last week but down from 2.80 percent a year ago. Rates on one-year ARM loans hit a low in records dating to 2005 of 2.52 percent during the week ending Dec. 20.

A separate survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association showed applications for purchase mortgages during the week ending Dec. 28 falling a seasonally adjusted 14.8 percent compared with levels reported two weeks ago. The results included an adjustment to account for the Christmas holiday.