Mission Viejo and Orange County, California Real Estate Blog

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 6.26 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending November 1, 2007, down from last week when it averaged 6.33 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.31 percent.  The 30-year FRM has not been this low since the week ending May 17, 2007, when it averaged 6.21 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 5.91 percent with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.99 percent.  A year ago, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.02 percent.  The 15-year FRM has not been this low since the week ending May 10, 2007, when it averaged 5.87 percent.

Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 5.98 percent this week, with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 6.03 percent.  A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 6.05 percent.  The 5-year ARM has not been this low since the week ending May 17, 2007, when it averaged 5.92 percent.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.57 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.66 percent.  At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.53 percent.  The 1-year ARM has not been this low since the week ending May 31, 2007, when it averaged 5.57 percent.

(Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)

"October's consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since October 2005 as mortgage rates continued to decline this week to their lowest level in almost six months," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "Continued market concerns about weaker economic growth and further declines in the housing market have kept mortgage rates low over the last few weeks.

"Although the third quarter gain in real gross domestic product (GDP) of 3.9 percent was stronger than market forecasts, the housing market has subtracted from GDP growth over the past twenty-one months ending in September.  In its most recent policy announcement, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) noted that the rate of expansion in the economy will most likely slow in the near term, due in part to a reflection of the intensity of the housing correction."

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
Southeast: NC, SC, TN, KY, GA, AL, FL, PR, VI, MS
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 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
November 01, 2007