Applications Tumble As Rates Soar

Mortgage applications tanked last week, raising concerns over the market’s future. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s weekly survey shows the adjusted Market Composite Index – a measure of mortgage loan application volume – fell by 4.2%, supercharging after the week prior’s 0.8% decline. The average interest rate for 30-year fixed loans rose from 7.16% to 7.31%, pushing homeownership farther out of reach for many Americans. This is the fourth straight week of increases and the highest level since December 2000. “Applications for home purchase mortgages dropped to their lowest level since April 1995, as homebuyers withdrew from the market due to the elevated rate environment and the erosion of purchasing power. Low housing supply is also keeping home prices high in…