30-year mortgage rate rises to 6.7%

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week for the sixth straight week, marking new highs not seen in 15 years, before a crash in the housing market triggered the Great Recession.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the key 30-year rate climbed to 6.70% from 6.29% last week. By contrast, the rate was 3.01% a year ago. The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages jumped to 5.96% from 5.44% last week.

Freddie Mac noted that for a typical mortgage amount, a borrower who locked in at the higher end of the range of weekly rates over the past year would pay several hundred dollars more than a borrower who locked in at the lower end of the range.

30-year mortgage rate surpasses 6%

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates climbed over 6% this week for the first time since the housing crash of 2008, threatening to sideline even more homebuyers from a rapidly cooling housing market.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate rose to 6.02% from 5.89% last week. The long-term average rate has more than doubled since a year ago and is the highest it’s been since November of 2008, just after the housing market collapse triggered the Great Recession. One year ago, the rate stood at 2.86%.

Rising interest rates — in part a result of the Federal Reserve’s aggressive push to tamp down inflation — have cooled off a housing market that has been hot for years.

30-year mortgage rate back over 5%

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates soared this week in acontinued volatile market as the key 30-year loan rate jumped back over 5%.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reports that the 30-year rate rose to 5.22% from 4.99% last week. By contrast, the rate stood at 2.87% a year ago.

The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, popular among those looking to refinance their homes, increased to 4.59% from 4.26%.

Last week the 30-year rate fell below 5% for the first time in four months, days after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of a point in its most aggressive drive in over three decades to tame record-high inflation.

Mortgage rates make biggest leap in 35 years

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates had their biggest one-week jump in 35 years with the Federal Reserve this week raising its key rate by three-quarters of a point in bid to tame high inflation.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate climbed from 5.23% last week to 5.78% this week, the highest its been since November 2008 during the housing crisis.

Wednesday’s rate hike by the Fed was its biggest in a single action since 1994.

The brisk jump in rates, along with a sharp increase in home prices, has been pushing potential homebuyers out of the market. Mortgage applications are down more than 15% from last year and refinancings are down more than 70%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.