The good news for those shopping for a mortgage is that Tuesday’s nearly across-the-board drop in rates was more or less repeated today today. Lenders continue to put a lid on mortgage rates as an incentive for Americans to continue their homebuying search despite the recent year-over-year spike in February's average home prices.
The low mortgage rates held steady despite the recent increase in the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate and the subsequent bump in many banks' prime rates. Some adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are tied to the prime rate, which is what banks charge their most creditworthy customers.
Here are today’s average mortgage rates across the U.S., along with where they stood a month ago.
|
Mortgage Type |
Mortgage Rates Today |
Mortgage Rates, 1 Month Ago |
|---|---|---|
|
30-year fixed jumbo |
4.47% |
4.62% |
|
30-year fixed |
3.95% |
4.10% |
|
15-year fixed |
3.13% |
3.22% |
|
30-year fixed refinance |
3.95% |
4.11% |
|
15-year fixed refinance |
3.16% |
3.23% |
|
5/1 ARM |
3.13% |
3.28% |
|
5/1 ARM refinance |
3.28% |
3.36% |
Data source: Bloomberg. National average rates, which may include points.
For some perspective on today’s mortgage rate environment, here are a few of the average rates from April 2007.
|
Mortgage Type |
Mortgage Rates, March 2012 |
|---|---|
|
30-year fixed |
6.18% |
|
15-year fixed |
5.88% |
|
1-year ARM |
5.45% |
|
5/1-year ARM |
5.91 |
Data source: Freddie Mac. Rates do not include points.
For homeowners researching a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or equity loan, neither rate budged today. HELOC and equity loan rates remained at 5.20% and 5.29%, respectively. HELOC rates are still below last month’s 5.23%, though home equity loans are slightly above March’s 5.26%.
