Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

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Falen Taylor

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Mortgage applications increased 3.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 9, 2022. 

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.  On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 0.4 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 3 percent from the previous week and was 85 percent lower than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 4 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 1 percent compared with the previous week and was 38 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

“Mortgage rates increased slightly after a month of declines, as financial markets reacted to mixed signals regarding inflation and the Federal Reserve’s next policy moves. The 30-year fixed rate inched to 6.42 percent, which is still close to the lowest rate in a month,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “Overall applications increased, driven by increases in purchase and refinance activity. However, with rates more than three percentage points higher than a year ago, both purchase and refinance applications are still well behind last year’s pace.”

Added Kan, “The ongoing moderation in home-price growth, along with further declines in mortgage rates, may encourage more buyers to return to the market in the coming months.” 

The refinance share of mortgage activity increased to 29.4 percent of total applications from 28.7 percent the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 7.7 percent of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications decreased to 13.1 percent from 13.7 percent the week prior. The VA share of total applications increased to 11.5 percent from 11.4 percent the week prior. The USDA share of total applications remained unchanged at 0.6 percent from the week prior.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 6.42 percent from 6.41 percent, with points increasing to 0.64 from0.63 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.  The effective rate remained unchanged from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $647,200)increased to 6.14 percent from 6.08 percent, with points decreasing to 0.42 from 0.50 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages backed by the FHA increased to 6.40 percent from 6.39 percent, with points increasing to 1.03 from 0.93 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.92 percent from 5.84 percent, with points decreasing to 0.54 from 0.55 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs decreased to 5.58 percent from 5.59 percent, with points decreasing to 0.80 from 0.91 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.  The effective rate decreased from last week.

Please Note:

MBA Offices will be closed Monday, December 26, 2022 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.   Due to the holiday, the results for weeks ending December 23, 2022 and December 30, 2022 will both be released on January 4, 2023.