MCLEAN, Va., -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing mortgage rates, fixed and adjustable, hitting all-time record lows amid market and employment concerns and economic uncertainty. The previous record lows for fixed mortgage rates, and the 1-year ARM, were set the week of August 18, 2011. The 5-Year ARM matched its all-time low set last week at 2.96 percent.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.12 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending September 8, 2011, down from last week when it averaged 4.22 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.35 percent.  

15-year FRM this week averaged 3.33 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.39 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.83 percent.  

5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 2.96 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, the same as last week when it averaged 2.96 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.56 percent.

1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.84 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.89 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.46 percent.  

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac, reports, "Market concerns over Eurozone sovereign debt default and a weak U.S. employment report for August placed downward pressure on Treasury bond yields and allowed fixed mortgage rates to hit new lows this week. On net, the economy added no new jobs last month and was the weakest reading since September 2010. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained at 9.1 percent, marking its 31st consecutive month of being above 8 percent, the longest such stretch in 70 years."

"The Federal Reserve (Fed) painted a bleaker picture as well in its September 7th regional economic review. Seven of its 12 Districts reported more subdued views of business conditions. Many of the Fed's manufacturing contacts downgraded or became more cautious about their near-term outlooks due to increased economic uncertainty."

Published: September 9, 2011

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