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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Mortgage rates climbed this past week for the third straight week but rates still remain close to the low rates experienced in June of 2003, the government-chartered mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday.
The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 5.73 percent for the week ending Thursday, with an average 0.4 point payable up front, up slightly from 5.66 percent the previous week, according to the mortgage finance firm's survey.
Last year at this time, the rate on the 30-year fixed-rate loan stood at 5.98 percent.
The 15-year mortgage rate climbed to 5.32 percent, with an average 0.4 point payable up front, up from 5.25 percent the week before. The loan averaged 5.39 percent a year ago.
"Even though long-term rates rose for the third consecutive week, they still remain below six percent -- still relatively close to the phenomenally low rates we experienced in June of 2003," said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac. "We believe that the housing industry, although poised to ease a bit, will still continue to bustle as the economy continues to expand steadily and long-term rates remain affordable."
Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages rose to an average 5.26 percent, with an average 0.5 point payable up front, up from last week's 5.15 percent.
There is no data available for year-over-year comparisons since Freddie Mac only began tracking these rates this year.
One-year adjusted-rate mortgages edged higher to an average 4.42 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, up from 4.39 percent last week.
At this time last year, the one-year adjustable-rate loan averaged 4.12 percent.
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