U.S. mortgage borrowing costs inched upward last week, marking the first weekly increase after a month of declines. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose by 2 basis points to 6.37% for the week ending April 24.
Activity in the mortgage market softened in aggregate, with total applications down 1.6% from the prior week. The fall was principally driven by refinancing, which retrenched 4% over the same period. By contrast, mortgage purchase applications increased 2%, a development the MBA interpreted as evidence that prospective buyers are proceeding with home searches and purchases during the spring selling season.
Spring buying season and inventory
MBA Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni said the increase in purchase activity suggests that “potential homebuyers are moving forward this spring and taking advantage of the more favorable inventory conditions in most parts of the country.” The comment highlights that, while overall demand has not surged, some buyers are responding to local inventory dynamics.
Lender caution and timing
Industry lenders remain guarded. Matt Vernon, head of consumer lending at Bank of America, described the recent rise in mortgage demand as muted. “We’re just seeing a modest increase (in mortgage demand) from March to April, where we normally see a broader and larger increase historically,” he said, adding that the pattern looks like a timing speed bump the market is trying to process.
Rates context
Borrowing costs have eased from a peak of 6.57% recorded immediately after the February start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, but they remain more than a quarter of a percentage point above pre-hostilities levels. The MBA data show lenders and borrowers continue to operate in an environment where rates are lower than that recent high, yet still elevated relative to the period before the geopolitical shock.
Policy backdrop
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave its target range for short-term borrowing costs unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% at its meeting this week. Financial markets are pricing in the view that the policy rate will remain at that level into the deep part of next year, a stance that contributes to the current interest-rate and mortgage-market outlook.
This report reflects MBA-released weekly data on mortgage rates and application activity for the week ended April 24 and includes direct remarks from MBA Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni and Bank of America’s Matt Vernon as noted above.