The pace of new single-family home sales, meanwhile, fell 6.1% from September to 598,000. 

The largest single-week decline in conventional mortgage rates since July brought the first increase in home-loan applications since September, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. 

A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 7.08% this week from 6.94% a week ago, Freddie Mac reported. A year ago, the average mortgage carried a 3.14% rate. 

At the same time, mortgage applications declined 1.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis on a week-over-week basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. 

Mortgage applications declined 1.2% during the week ended Sept. 9, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. 

Worsening affordability challenges are affecting first-time homebuyers

Despite a slow start to the spring homebuying season, prospective buyers are showing some resiliency in the face of higher mortgage rates, as seen by two weeks in a row of increasing loan applications. 

Overall mortgage-application volume was at its lowest level since 2018, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The real estate closing law firm is a gold sponsor in the organization’s efforts to affect positive change in meeting the housing needs of underserved communities.

With the two entities teaming up, and offices in both Lynn and Lynnfield, the team can negotiate and counsel clients through the entire homebuying experience.