Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

Mortgage applications decreased 1.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending September 27, 2024. 

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 1.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 1 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 3 percent from the previous week and was 186 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 1 percent compared with the previous week and was 9 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

“Last week’s incoming data showed an economy that is still growing at a solid pace, even as inflation continues to decline. As a result, mortgage rates were up modestly, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate increasing slightly to 6.14 percent,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “With this move, refinance application volume declined on the week but remains almost three-times as high as last year’s pace.”

Added Fratantoni, “The news for the week was that more homebuyers appear to be entering the market. Purchase application activity was up for the week and increased more than 9 percent compared to last year at this time. Inventories of both new and existing homes have been increasing over the course of 2024, meaning that potential buyers have properties to look at and now have somewhat lower mortgage rates leading to better affordability.”

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 54.9 percent of total applications from 55.7 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity decreased to 5.8 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications increased to 16.6 percent from 15.0 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications decreased to 15.4 percent from 18.3 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications increased to 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) increased to 6.14 percent from 6.13 percent, with points increasing to 0.61 from 0.57 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.  The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $766,550) increased to 6.50 percent from 6.47 percent, with points decreasing to 0.36 from 0.50 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate remained unchanged from last week.  

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 6.06 percent from 5.99 percent, with points decreasing to 0.75 from 0.79 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.51 percent from 5.47 percent, with points increasing to 0.62 from 0.52 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 5.87 percent from 5.76 percent, with points increasing to 0.55 from 0.44 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week. 

The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks, and thrifts. Base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100.

Contact:

Falen Taylor – Media Contact – ftaylor@mba.org – (202) 557-2771

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association