Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Level Since 2001

(RTTNews) - Mortgage rates, or interest rates on home loans, continue to surge, reaching the highest level since 2001, 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 7.23 percent as of August 24, 2023, up from last week when it averaged 7.09 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.55 percent.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.55 percent, up from last week when it averaged 6.46 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.85 percent.

"This week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached its highest level since 2001 and indications of ongoing economic strength will likely continue to keep upward pressure on rates in the short-term," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist. "As rates remain high and supply of unsold homes woefully low, incoming data shows that existing homes sales continue to fall. However, there are slightly more new homes available, and sales of these new homes continue to rise, helping provide modest relief to the unyielding housing inventory predicament."