U.S. Mortgage Rates Rise Again
Freddie Mac announced on Thursday, April 3, 2014 that the average 30-year fixed rate loan went up from 4.40% to 4.41%. The average 15-year mortgage rate increased also from 3.42% to 3.47%. Despite the recent mortgage increase, the rates have remained at historically low levels. How exactly is the average mortgage rate calculated? Freddie Mac surveys lenders all across the nation between Mondays and Wednesdays of each week. When the average is calculated, the extra fees, also known as points, are not included. Borrowers pay for points to help them get the lowest rates. One point is equivalent to 1% of the loan. As the mortgage rates increased, so did the average fees. The 30-year mortgage fee rose from 0.6 points to 0.7 points. The 15-year loan fee stayed…

