Mortgage demand continues to weaken, still right around a 22-year low, but there was a sign in the weekly numbers that first-time buyers may be slowly returning.
Mortgage applications to purchase a home fell 1% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Associationās seasonally adjusted index. Volume was 21% lower than the same week one year ago. There was, however, a jump in demand for loans offering lower down payments.
āLast weekās purchase results varied, with conventional applications declining 2% and government applications increasing 4%, which is potentially a sign of more first-time homebuyer activity,ā said Joel Kan, an MBA economist.
He also noted that the average purchase loan size continued to trend lower, as homebuying at the high end of the market weakens.
Mortgage rates increased for all loan types last week. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) rose to 5.65% from 5.45%, with points climbing to 0.68 from 0.57 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment.
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