News - National
Mortgage rates drop to lowest level this year
Posted: May 13, 2010 9:58 AM by Bea Karnes, News First 5
Mortgage rates fell this week to the lowest level of the year. The drop was caused by a high demand for U.S. government securities, which closely track mortgage rates, as investors fled risky European debt.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dipped to 4.93 percent this week from 5 percent a week earlier, Freddie Mac said Thursday.
It was the lowest level since mid-December, when rates averaged 4.81 percent.
Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates on Monday through Wednesday of each week from lenders around the country. Rates often fluctuate significantly, even within a given day, often tracking the interest rate paid on long-term Treasury bonds.
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