by Calculated Risk on 8/12/2010 10:50:00 AM

From MarketWatch: Freddie Mac: Fixed-rate mortgages at record lows

Freddie Mac said Thursday the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage average fell to record low of 4.44% with an average 0.7 point for the week ending Aug. 12. In the previous period, the average was 4.49% ...

This calls for a long term graph ...

Click on graph for larger image in new window.

This graph shows the 30 year fixed rate mortgage interest rate based on the Freddie Mac survey since 1971.

The decline in mortgage rates is related to the weak economy and falling Treasury yields. Rates will probably fall again this week with the Ten Year Treasury yield down to 2.7%.

Note: this series only goes back to 1971. Mortgage rates were at or below 5% back in the 1950s.