Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Decrease in May 21st Report

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey^® (“PMMS”^®), showing that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (“FRM”) averaged 3.24 percent.

“For the fourth consecutive week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been below 3.30 percent, giving potential buyers a good reason to continue shopping even amid the pandemic,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “As states reopen, we’re seeing purchase demand improve remarkably fast, now essentially flat relative to a year ago. Going forward, mortgage rates have room to decline as mortgage spreads remain elevated.”

News Facts

– 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.24 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 21, 2020, down from last week when it averaged 3.28 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.06 percent.

– 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.70 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.72 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.51 percent.

– 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (“ARM”) averaged 3.17 percent with an average 0.4 point, down slightly from last week when it averaged 3.18 percent. A year ago at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.68 percent.

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following link for the Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we’ve made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders, investors and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac’s blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

Contact:

Angela Waugaman – Angela_Waugaman@FreddieMac.com – (703) 714-4829

Source: Freddie Mac