US Home Purchase Applications Fall to Lowest Since 1995
- Mortgage Bankers Association index dropped 2.1% last week
- Contract rate on 30-year fixed mortgage eased to 7.21%
High mortgage rates have pushed homeownership further out of reach for many Americans.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A gauge of US mortgage applications for home purchases fell to a 28-year low last week, underscoring the stifling effect of high mortgage rates on buyer demand.
The Mortgage Bankers Association index of home-purchase applications decreased 2.1% to 141.9, the lowest level since April 1995, according to data out Wednesday. The contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 10 basis points to 7.21% in the week ended Sept. 1 but remains near its highest level in decades.