US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Drops Below 7%, Spurring Home Purchases

Homes in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

Photographer: Jacob Kepler
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US mortgage rates dropped back below 7% for the first time in a month, spurring an increase in applications for home purchases.

The contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage decreased 18 basis points, the biggest decline in nearly three months, to 6.84% in the week ended March 8, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday.