The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached its highest average since December 2016, Freddie Mac reports. This is the fifth consecutive week that mortgage rates have been on the rise, increasing borrowing costs for home shoppers heading into the spring buying season.
“Following a turbulent Monday, financial markets settled down with the 10-year Treasury yield resuming its upward march. Mortgage rates have followed,” says Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s deputy chief economist. “Will higher rates break housing market momentum? It’s too early to tell for sure.”
Freddie Mac reports the following national averages for the week ending Feb. 8:
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.32 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 4.22 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.17 percent.
- 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.77 percent, with an average 0.5, up from a 3.68 percent average last week. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.39 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac