Applications Down in MBA Weekly Survey

MBA (3/12/2008 ) Kemp, Carolyn
Mortgage application activity fell as key interest rates, after dropping sharply the previous week, spiked up again, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 7.
The Market Composite Index fell to 671.7, a decrease of 1.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from 684.9 one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 1.4 percent compared with the previous week and was down 3.4 percent compared with the same week one year earlier. The four-week moving average for the seasonally adjusted Market Index fell by 12.1 percent to 711.1 from 809.1.

The seasonally adjusted Refinance Index decreased by 4.7 percent to 2448.2 from 2569.0 the previous week. The four-week moving average fell by 18.2 percent to 2752.5 from 3365.8. The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 50.6 percent of total applications from 52.4 percent the previous week.

The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1.6 percent to 368.8 from 363.1 one week earlier. The Conventional Purchase Index decreased 0.4 percent while the Government Purchase Index (largely FHA) increased 10.0 percent. On an unadjusted basis, the Purchase Index increased 2.3 percent to 410.8 from 401.6 the previous week. The four-week moving average fell by 2.4 percent to 361.9 from 370.7.

The seasonally adjusted Conventional Index decreased 3.3 percent to 898.0 from 929.0 the previous week; the seasonally adjusted Government Index increased 6.0 percent to 294.5 from 277.8 the previous week.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 6.37 percent from 5.98 percent, with points decreasing to 1.05 from 1.15 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value (LTV) ratio loans.

The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.72 percent from 5.26 percent, with points decreasing to 1.06 from 1.08 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans.

The average contract interest rate for one-year adjustable-rate mortgages increased to 6.72 percent from 5.83 percent, with points increasing to 1.27 from 0.85 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent LTV loans. The ARM share of activity decreased to 15.5 percent from 17.3 percent of total applications from the previous week.

The survey covers 50 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage originations and has been conducted weekly since 1990. Respondents include mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts.