Global| Mar 25 2015U.S. Mortgage Loan Applications Recover as Interest Rates Decline
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that their total Mortgage Market Volume Index increased 9.5% last week (21.0% y/y) to the highest level since early-February. Refinance applications led the way up with a 12.3% w/w increase [...]
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that their total Mortgage Market Volume Index increased 9.5% last week (21.0% y/y) to the highest level since early-February. Refinance applications led the way up with a 12.3% w/w increase (34.9% y/y). Home purchase applications improved 4.9% w/w (2.7% y/y).
The effective interest rate on a 15-year mortgage declined to 3.29%, the lowest level in six weeks. The effective rate on a 30-year fixed rate loan declined to 4.01%. The rate on a Jumbo 30-year loan fell w/w to 3.96%. For adjustable 5-year mortgages, the effective interest rate was fairly steady w/w at 3.11% and compared to 3.02% nine weeks ago.
The average mortgage loan size jumped to $276,000 (14.8% y/y), the highest level in nine weeks. For refinancings it increased to $264,600 (27.8% y/y) but for purchases it fell to 293,400 (5.0% y/y).
Applications for fixed interest rate loans increased 24.4% y/y but adjustable rate loan applications declined 16.2% y/y.
The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts. The base period and value for all indexes is March 16, 1990=100. The figures for weekly mortgage applications and interest rates are available in Haver's SURVEYW database.
Risk Management in an Uncertain World from Charles Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is available here.
| MBA Mortgage Applications (SA, 3/16/90=100) | 03/20/15 | 03/13/15 | 03/06/15 | Y/Y % | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Market Index | 437.1 | 399.3 | 415.4 | 21.0 | 361.5 | 616.6 | 813.8 |
| Purchase | 178.7 | 170.4 | 173.0 | 2.7 | 172.1 | 197.5 | 187.8 |
| Refinancing | 1,932.5 | 1,720.3 | 1,815.3 | 34.9 | 1,449.8 | 3,070.0 | 4,505.0 |
| 15-Year Mortgage Effective Interest Rate (%) | 3.29 | 3.36 | 3.36 | 3.64 (3/14) |
3.54 | 3.42 | 3.25 |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
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