Mortgage Application Volume Responds to Rate Drop

A quarter-point decline in 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) interest pushed mortgage application activity higher across the board during the week ended November 3. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage application volume, increased 2.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier, the largest increase since mid-September . The unadjusted Index was 1.0 percent higher.   The Refinance Index rose 2.0 percent from the previous week and was 7 percent lower than the same week one year ago. Refinance applications accounted for 31.4 percent of the total, up from 31.2 percent the prior week. [refiappschart] The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 3.0 week-over-week and was 1.0 percent higher before adjustment.  Purchase volume was 20 percent lower than the same week in 2022.   [purchaseappschart] “The 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped by 25 basis points to 7.61 percent, the largest single week decline since July 2022,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist.  “Last week’s decrease in rates was driven by the U.S. Treasury’s issuance update, the Fed striking a dovish tone in the November FOMC statement, and data indicating a slower job market. Applications for both purchase and refinance loans were up over the week but remained at low levels. The purchase index is still more than 20 percent behind last year’s pace, as many homebuyers remain on the sidelines until more for-sale inventory becomes available .” 


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