Mortgage applications decreased 13.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Sept. 6. The results included an adjustment for the Labor Day holiday.
The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, and has been conducted weekly since 1990.
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 13.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 23 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 20 percent from the previous week. The Refinance Index has fallen 71 percent from its recent peak the week of May 3 and is at the lowest level since June 2009. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 3 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 14 percent compared with the previous week and was 7 percent higher than the same week one year ago.
The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 57 percent of total applications from 61 percent the previous week and is at its lowest level since April 2010. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity was unchanged at 7 percent of total applications. The HARP share of refinance applications was unchanged from the prior week at 38 percent.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) increased to 4.80 percent from 4.73 percent, with points increasing to 0.46 from 0.33 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) increased to 4.84 percent from 4.71 percent, with points increasing to 0.41 from 0.25 (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 4.56 percent from 4.48 percent, with points increasing to 0.28 from 0.03 (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 3.83 percent from 3.75 percent, with points increasing to 0.42 from 0.30 (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 increased to 3.59 percent from 3.49 percent, with points increasing to 0.43 from 0.37 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.