Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates hitting their lowest levels since this summer amid market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond buying purchases this year.

Findings

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.13 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending October 24, 2013, down from last week when it averaged 4.28 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.41 percent.

• 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.24 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.33 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 2.72 percent.

• 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.00 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.07 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.75 percent.

• 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.60 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.63 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.59 percent.

"Mortgage rates slid this week as the partial government shutdown led to market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond purchases this year. The weak employment report for September added to this expectation,” says Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac. “The economy added just 148,000 jobs, which was below the market consensus forecast and less than the 193,000 jobs increase in August."

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