Hike in Mortgage Rates Erases Affordability Relief

© REALTOR® Magazine

Borrowers got stuck with higher mortgage rates again this week. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed for the second consecutive week, averaging 4.6 percent. Mortgage rates are now at their fourth highest level of the year, Freddie Mac reports.

“The higher rate environment, coupled with the ongoing lack of affordable inventory, has led to a drag on existing-home sales in the last few months,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

The Federal Reserve this week voted to hold off on raising its short-term rate, “but the embers of a strong economy potentially stoking higher inflation, borrowing costs will likely modestly rise in the coming months,” Khater adds.

Even with home price growth easing slightly in some markets, Khater notes that mortgage rates hovering near a seven-year high will certainly create affordability challenges for prospective buyers looking to close on a home purchase.

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Aug. 2:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.60 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 4.54 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 3.93 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.08 percent, with an average 0.4 point, increasing from last week’s 4.02 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.18 percent.
• 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.93 percent, with an average 0.2 point, rising from last week’s 3.87 percent average. A year ago, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.15 percent.