APPLICATIONS INCREASE FROM FALLING MORTGAGE RATES

DALLAS (Dallas Morning News) – Last Wednesday, the Federal Reserve said it would buy up to $300 billion in long-term U.S. Treasuries and increase purchases of Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed securities to $1.25 trillion, up from $500 billion.

Less than a day after the Fed’s action, fixed rates on conforming 30-year mortgages dropped as much as half a percentage point to well under 5 percent, and many analysts doubt that rates will be headed back up anytime soon.

Except for a day or so in December, rates are at the lowest levels since at least 1965, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

"What you've done is you've created affordability," said Scott Simon, head of mortgage-backed securities at Pacific Investment Management Co. "This will make housing bottom sooner than it would have bottomed, and at a higher price than it would have otherwise bottomed."

The rate drop is likely to encourage more borrowers to see whether they can qualify for the lowest rates.

The question remaining is whether lower rates will jump-start the housing market. As much as three-quarters of the mortgage application activity in recent months has been for refinancing rather than home purchases.