--- title: Homebuyers Catch a Break, Mortgage Interest Rates Dip Slightly description: The modest decline in mortgage rates the week ending October 18, 2018, was a welcome respite from the rapid increase in mortgage loan interest rates in previous weeks, according to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey. image: https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/hubfs/mortgage%20application%20fancy%20pen.jpg --- (978) 835-5906             [![Search Icon](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Search%20Icon.png?width=30&height=30&name=Search%20Icon.png)](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/search-results-page) [![Buyers Brokers Only, LLC – Real Estate Buyer Agents](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023%20BBO%20Logo%20800x170.png?width=1600&height=340&name=2023%20BBO%20Logo%20800x170.png "Buyers Brokers Only, LLC – Real Estate Buyer Agents")](https://www.buyersbrokersonly.com/) # Massachusetts Home Buyer Guide ![smaller-dotted-line.png](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/298849/file-263826832-jpg/true_gray_line_websites.jpg?width=1175&name=true_gray_line_websites.jpg "smaller-dotted-line.png") ## [Homebuyers Catch a Break, Mortgage Interest Rates Dip Slightly](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/blog/homebuyers-catch-a-break-mortgage-interest-rates-dip-slightly) Oct 21, 2018 7:42:01 AM Average U.S. mortgage interest rates declined 5 basis points for the week ending October 18, 2018, after several weeks of rising interest rates, according to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Markey Survey. ![Average U.S. mortgage interest rates declined for the week ending October 18, 2018](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mortgage%20application%20fancy%20pen.jpg?width=400&name=mortgage%20application%20fancy%20pen.jpg)“The modest decline in [mortgage](https://www.buyersbrokersonly.com/buying/first-time-home-buyer-programs) rates is a welcome respite from the rapid increase in rates the last few weeks," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said. "While the [housing market](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/blog/ma-real-estate-inventory-down-new-listings-up-in-august-2018) has clearly softened in reaction to the rise in mortgage rates, the economy and consumer sentiment remain very robust, and that will sustain purchase demand, particularly in affordable markets and neighborhoods.” The 30-year, fixed-rate [mortgage loan](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/loan) averaged 4.85 percent, with an average 0.5 point. Interest rates average 4.90 percent the previous week and 3.88 percent during the same period last year. The 15-year, fixed-rate [mortgage](https://info.buyersbrokersonly.com/blog/ma-real-estate-inventory-down-new-listings-up-in-august-2018) averaged 4.26 percent, with an average 0.4 point, ***down*** from 4.29 percent. A year ago, the 15-year note averaged 3.19 percent. The five-year, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.10 percent, with an average 0.3 point, rising 3 basis points from the previous week. The 5-year ARM averaged 3.17 percent during the same timeframe in 2017. [![Quick Guide to the Massachusetts Home-buying Process. 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