Mortgage Rates Fluctuating Over Taper Turbulence

MCLEAN, VA--(Marketwired - Aug 29, 2013) - Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS^®), showing average fixed mortgage rates moving lower from the previous week as the Federal Reserve's (Fed) bond purchase program continues to drive market speculation.

News Facts

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.51 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending August 29, 2013, down from last week when it averaged 4.58 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.59 percent. 
  
  
• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.54 percent with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.60 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 2.86 percent. 
  
  
• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.24 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 3.21 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.78 percent.
  
  
• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.64 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.67 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.63 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 links for the Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details and Definitions. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

"The Fed is monitoring the housing market closely after the run up in mortgage rates over the past few months. The 13.4 percent drop in new home sales in July led financial markets to speculate whether the Fed might delay reducing its bond purchases and allowed long-term bond yields and fixed mortgage rates to decline over the week."

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Today Freddie Mac is making home possible for one in four home borrowers and is one of the largest sources of financing for multifamily housing. For more information please visit www.FreddieMac.com and Twitter: @FreddieMac.