Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Mortgage rates hit all time lows

As Congress and President Obama hammered out a debt deal over the past week, mortgage rates plunged -- hitting new lows in some instances.

The 30-year fixed rate, usually the most popular choice for homebuyers, fell to 4.45% from 4.57% last week -- its lowest point since last November, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Meanwhile, the rate on the less popular 15-year fixed plunged to a new record low of 3.52%, down from 3.67% a week earlier.

The up-front points lenders charged dropped as well, to 0.78 from 1.14 for 20%-down loans, according to the industry group. A homebuyer financing a $200,000 mortgage could save $14 a month and pay $720 less at closing based on the current points.

The rock-bottom interest rates drove up total mortgage applications -- both for purchases and refinancings -- by about 7%, compared with a week earlier, said Michael Fratantoni, the Mortgage Bankers Association's vice president of research and economics. While the increase may seem substantial, he noted that applications are still well below last year's level.
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