U.S. Mortgage Applications Dropped 10.0% in the Latest Week
Summary
- Both purchase applications and refinancing loan applications fell in July 11 week.
- Effective interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate loans rose to 7.0%.
- Average loan size declines for the fourth time in five weeks.
Mortgage applications fell 10.0% (+18.4% y/y) in the week ending July 11, after rising 9.4% w/w (36.6% y/y) in the week ending July 4, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. The latest reading broke the string of three consecutive w/w rises. Applications for loans to purchase a house fell 11.8% (+13.7% y/y) in the July 11 week, following a rise of 9.4% (25.4% y/y) in the July 4 week. Applications for loan refinancing dropped 7.4% (+25.2% y/y) after rising 9.2% (55.8% y/y) in the July 4 week.
The effective interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate loan rose 5bps to 7.00% in the week ending July 11, from 6.95% in the week ending July 4; it was up from a low of 6.29% in the September 20 week but down from a peak of 8.12% in the week of October 20, 2023. The rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages rose 12bps to 6.32% in the latest week from 6.20% in the July 4 week; it was up from a low of 5.60% in the September 20 week. The rate on 30-year Jumbo loans rose 6bps to 6.94% in the July 11 week from 6.88% in the July 4 week; it was up from a low of 6.57% in the September 13 week. Meanwhile, the rate on a 5-year ARM edged down 4bps to 6.24% in the latest week from 6.28% in the July 4 week; it was above a low of 5.84% in the September 13 week.
The share of applications for refinancing an existing loan rose to 41.1% of total applications in the week ending July 11 up from 40.0% in the week ending July 4. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity dropped to 7.1% in the July 11 week from 7.7% in the July 4 week.
The average size of a mortgage loan, down for the fourth week in five, fell 2.8% (+3.0% y/y) to $375,500 in the July 11 week, following a decline of 1.3% w/w (+4.5% y/y) to $386,400 in the July 4 week. The average size of a purchase loan edged down 0.9% (+2.9% y/y) to $428,900 in the July 11 week, after declining 2.5% (+1.8% y/y) to $432,600 in the July 4 week. The average size of a loan to refinance a mortgage dropped 5.6% (+6.1% y/y) to $299,200 in the latest week, after rising 1.1% (18.8% y/y) to $317,100 in the July 4 week.
The Mortgage Bankers Association Survey covers 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 SURVEYS database.
Kathleen Stephansen, CBE
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Kathleen Stephansen is a Senior Economist for Haver Analytics and an Independent Trustee for the EQAT/VIP/1290 Trust Funds, encompassing the US mutual funds sponsored by the Equitable Life Insurance Company. She is a former Chief Economist of Huawei Technologies USA, Senior Economic Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, Chief Economist of the American International Group (AIG) and AIG Asset Management’s Senior Strategist and Global Head of Sovereign Research. Prior to joining AIG in 2010, Kathleen held various positions as Chief Economist or Head of Global Research at Aladdin Capital Holdings, Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corporation.
Kathleen serves on the boards of the Global Interdependence Center (GIC), as Vice-Chair of the GIC College of Central Bankers, is the Treasurer for Economists for Peace and Security (EPS) and is a former board member of the National Association of Business Economics (NABE). She is a member of Chatham House and the Economic Club of New York. She holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the Universite Catholique de Louvain and graduate degrees in economics from the University of New Hampshire (MA) and the London School of Economics (PhD abd).
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