WASHINGTON (MNI) – The following is the text of statement from
Freddie Mac Thursday regarding its survey of weekly mortgage rates:

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary
Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage
(FRM) averaged 5.08 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week
ending April 1, 2010, up from last week when it averaged 4.99 percent.
Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.78 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.39 percent with an average 0.6
point, up slightly from last week when it averaged 4.34 percent. A year
ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.52 percent.

The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)
averaged 4.10 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, down from
last week when it averaged 4.14 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM
averaged 4.92 percent.

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.05 percent this week
with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.20
percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.75 percent.

(Average commitment rates should be reported along with average
fees and points to reflect the total cost of obtaining the mortgage.)

“Interest rates for fixed mortgages rose this week following a run
up in long-term bond yields, while ARM rates eased slightly,” said Frank
Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Rates on
30-year fixed loans were the highest since the starting week of this
year.

“Home-price declines continue to moderate with more metropolitan
areas showing stabilizing or rising values. Compared with one year ago,
house prices were down 0.7 percent in January 2010 in the
S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index, which was the smallest
12-month decrease since January 2007. Nine of the cities experienced
positive growth, led by San Francisco’s 9.1 percent annual gain.
Recently, the Mortgage Insurance Companies of America reported that
homeowners who moved out of default outnumbered those who became newly
delinquent in February, which was the first such occurrence since March
2006.”

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide
liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation’s residential
mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by
providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has
made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million
renters.

** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **

[TOPICS: MAUDS$,M$$AG$,M$U$$$]