Applications for home loans remained essentially flat this week, declining slightly along with the refinance share of total mortgage activity, while experts note an uptick in government-backed loan applications is an indicator of ongoing affordability challenges. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume…

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Forces other than mortgage rates can impact homebuying activity, and this past week was a good example of that, as experts surmised that a big winter storm hitting a large portion of the country likely prevented people from applying for a mortgage. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the…

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Lower mortgage rates at the end of 2025 prompted a refinance rush among current homeowners, helping boost prepayment rates to their highest level in three years, according to a new report from ICE Mortgage Technology. The monthly mortgage prepayment rate rose to 0.91% in December, just below the 3.5‑year high set in October, ICE reported…

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The last two weeks of mortgage application metrics have shown sizable increases. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume—increased 14.1% from one week earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Jan. 16, following last week’s notable 28.5% increase for the…

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Beating the expectations of a typical quiet winter season for the housing market, mortgage applications shot up by a whopping 28.5% from one week earlier, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA). The MBA’s latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey found that the Market Composite Index—a measure of mortgage loan application volume—grew…

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While mortgage rates dropped to their lowest level since September, applications for home purchases were down nearly 10% from two weeks prior. Despite the mixed trends, mortgage watchers expect rates to remain at current levels with periods of increased refinances.  According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of…

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With the last FOMC meeting and interest rate cuts of the year in the rear-view mirror, combined with typical holiday time slowdowns, economists were not surprised to see a decrease in mortgage applications this week. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume—decreased 3.8%…

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Home purchase application activity continues to fluctuate with an increase this past week but mortgage watchers say the bigger picture shows applications overall running ahead of a year ago as market conditions continue to mark gradual improvement.  According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity…

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Home purchase application activity fluctuated over the Thanksgiving holiday period, both increasing and decreasing over the past few weeks. This week mortgage activity saw a slight decline. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume—decreased 1.4% from one week earlier on a seasonally adjusted…

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Editor’s Note: The Mortgage Mix is RISMedia’s biweekly highlight reel of need-to-know mortgage-industry happenings. Watch for it every other Friday afternoon. As of Nov. 20, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate sat at 6.26%, slightly up from the previous week’s reading of 6.24%. Tracking with higher rates, mortgage applications—tracked by the Mortgage Bankers Association—found that…

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