Average 30-year fixed loan rate dips to 5.77%; 15-year also down. January 6, 2005: 11:46 AM EST
Mortgage Rates
30 yr fixed mtg
5.03%
15 yr fixed mtg
4.53%
30 yr fixed jumbo mtg
5.86%
5/1 ARM
4.06%
5/1 jumbo ARM
4.67%
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Mortgage rates rang in the new year on a slightly lower note, according to a Freddie Mac survey released Thursday.
"Although we expect mortgage rates will start to trend gently upward over the year, 30-year fixed mortgage rates should stay under six percent, at least through the first quarter," said Amy Crews Cutts, Freddie Mac deputy chief economist.
The rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.77 percent in the week ended Thursday, with an average 0.7 point payable up front, down from 5.81 percent last week.
A year earlier, the rate on the 30-year fixed-rate loan stood at 5.87 percent.
The average 15-year mortgage rate eased to 5.21 percent, with a 0.6 percent payable up front, from last week's 5.23 percent. The rate averaged 5.17 percent a year ago.
Spurred by the popularity of adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), Freddie Mac started tracking five-year ARMs this wek. Five-year ARMs averaged 5.03 percent, with an average of 0.5 points.
Meanwhile, one-year ARMs averaged 4.10 percent, down from 4.19 the previous week, with 0.7 of a point payable up front. At this time last year, the one-year ARM rate averaged 3.76 percent.
Freddie Mac's (up $0.36 to $71.64, Research) average mortgage rates are based on a survey of 125 lenders nationwide.
