According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell last week from one week earlier. Rates were down across all loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate loans. Rates are now lower than where they were at the same time last year. Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says, current conditions are still challenging for buyers. “Swift home-price growth across much of the country, driven by insufficient housing supply, is weighing on the purchase market and is pushing average loan amounts higher,” Kan said. Overall, mortgage application demand fell 1.8 percent from the week before, with purchase activity down 1 percent from the previous week and 14 percent lower than the same week one year ago. The MBA’s weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. (source)