Mortgage Rates Rise After Posting Record Lows

Mortgage rates started to edge higher this week, after a series of recent positive reports showing the housing market on the mend, Freddie Mac reported in its weekly mortgage market survey.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage after posting all-time record lows for the past three weeks reversed course this week and ticked up to 3.98 percent. Still, this is the eighth consecutive week that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have remained below 4 percent, Freddie Mac reported.

"Fixed mortgage rates ticked up this week as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note,” Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement. Existing-home sales increased 5 percent in December, the largest amount since May 2010.

Here’s a closer look at mortgage rates for the week ending Jan. 26:

30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.98 percent, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week’s low of 3.88 percent. A year ago at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.80 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.24 percent, with an average 0.8 point, inching up after last week’s 3.17 percent average. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 4.09 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.85 percent, with an average 0.7 point, also up from last week’s 2.82 average. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.70 percent.
1-year ARMs: averaged 2.74 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point--holding at last week’s 2.74 percent average. A year ago at this time, 1-year ARMs averaged 3.26 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac