Mortgage Rates Drop for 5th Straight Week

Mortgage rates dipped for the fifth consecutive week, following a first-quarter economic-growth estimate that fell short of expectations.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.35 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 2, down from 3.4 percent last week and 3.84 percent a year ago, Freddie Mac said in releasing the results of its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The drop put the 30-year rate not far above the record low of 3.31 percent seen during the week ending Nov. 21, 2012.

Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans and 1-year Treasury-indexed ARMs also dipped. Source: Fannie Mae