Global| Mar 29 2017U.S. Mortgage Loan Applications Remain Little Changed; Variable Rate Apps Surge
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index slipped 0.8% last week (-12.4% y/y) following a 2.7% decline during the week prior. Purchase applications increased 1.2% (4.2% y/y) after a 2.1% [...]
The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index slipped 0.8% last week (-12.4% y/y) following a 2.7% decline during the week prior. Purchase applications increased 1.2% (4.2% y/y) after a 2.1% fall, but refinancing applications declined 2.9% (-25.6% y/y) following a 3.3% drop.
Applications for variable interest rate loans increased 53.6% y/y while applications for fixed rate loans declined 15.7% y/y.
The effective interest rate on a 15-year mortgage slipped to 3.68% from 3.77%, but remained higher than the July 2016 low of 2.97%. The effective rate on a 30-year fixed-rate loan of 4.45% was higher than the 3.70% low in early-July last year. The rate on a Jumbo 30-year loan eased w/w to 4.34%, up from last year's low of 3.68%. For adjustable 5-year mortgages, the effective interest rate of 3.41% fell w/w, but was higher than the 2.87% low early in July of last year.
The average mortgage loan size eased w/w to $283,100 (+2.9% y/y). For purchases, it slipped to $310,900 (+2.5% y/y); for refinancings, it declined to $247,500 (-0.7% y/y).
The survey covers over 75% 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.
| MBA Mortgage Applications (%, SA) | 03/24/17 | 03/17/17 | 03/10/17 | Y/Y | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Market Index | -0.8 | -2.7 | 3.1 | -12.4 | 15.6 | 17.9 | -41.4 |
| Purchase | 1.2 | -2.1 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 13.3 | 15.5 | -12.9 |
| Refinancing | -2.9 | -3.3 | 4.1 | -25.6 | 17.3 | 19.7 | -52.8 |
| 15-Year Mortgage Effective Interest Rate (%) | 3.68 | 3.77 | 3.77 | 3.27 (Mar '16) | 3.22 | 3.37 | 3.54 |
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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