Mortgage Applications Decline for Fifth Consecutive Week in the Week Ending May 27, 2022

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey (WMAS), for the week ending May 27, 2022, the Market Composite Index (a measure of mortgage loan application volume) declined -2.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index declined -3.0% compared with the previous week.

The Refinance Index decreased -5.0% from the previous week and was -75.0% lower than the same week one year ago.

The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index declined 1.0% from the previous week. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased -2.0% compared with the previous week and was -14.0% lower than the same week one year ago.

In remarks prepared for this week’s WMAS, Joel Kan, MBA’s Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting, said:

“Mortgage rates fell for the fourth time in five weeks, as concerns of weaker economic growth and the recent stock market sell-off drove Treasury yields lower. Mortgage applications decreased to the lowest level since December 2018, as the purchase market continues to struggle with supply and affordability challenges. With the 30-year fixed rate at 5.33 percent, the refinance market continues to shrink, led by larger decreases last week for FHA and VA refinance applications. The refinance index was 75 percent below last year’s level, when rates were more than 200 basis points lower.

Purchase applications last week were 14 percent lower than last year, with more activity in the larger loan sizes. Demand is high at the upper end of the market, and supply and affordability challenges are not as detrimental to these borrowers as they are to first-time buyers.”