Mortgage Rates Gain For 3rd Consecutive Week

(RTTNews) - Mortgage rates, or interest rates on home loans, gained for a third consecutive week, according to mortgage provider Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB).

Releasing the results of its primary mortgage market survey, Freddie Mac said that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.96 percent as of August 10, 2023, up from last week when it averaged 6.90 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.22 percent.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.34 percent, up from last week when it averaged 6.25 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.59 percent.

"For the third straight week, mortgage rates continued creeping up and are now just shy of seven percent," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist. "There is no doubt continued high rates will prolong affordability challenges longer than expected, particularly with home prices on the rise again. However, upward pressure on rates is the product of a resilient economy with low unemployment and strong wage growth, which historically has kept purchase demand solid."