30-year US mortgage rate falls to 6.78%

By A LEX VEIGA Associated Press

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slipped this week to the lowest level in four weeks, a boost for house hunters facing a market held back by persistently high prices and a near-historic low number of homes for sale.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell to 6.78% from 6.96% last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 5.54%.

The latest move in rates brings the average slightly below the highest level since it surged 7.08% in early November. High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting how much they can afford in a market already unaffordable to many Americans.

The pullback in rates follows a modest easing in the 10-year Treasury yield, which climbed above 4% two weeks ago for the first time since early March. The yield, which lenders used to price rates on mortgages and other loans, was at 3.86% in midday trading Thursday. It has been mostly bouncing around 3.79% this week following mixed economic retail sales and labor market data.

Inflation has been on the way down since last summer, which has many on Wall Street expecting the Federal Reserve’s next hike to interest rates, expected next week, will the the last of this cycle.

“As inflation slows, mortgage rates decreased this week,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

The average rate on a 30year mortgage remains more than double what it was two years ago, when ultra-low rates spurred a wave of home sales and refinancing.

AGAWAM

Darren Morace and Marlyce Morace to Francheska L. Melendez Santos and Christian I. Cruz Rivas, 11 Bradford Drive, $350,000.

George D. Ward Jr., and Jill S. Ward to Rachel Truland and Iain Bopp, 118 Princeton Ave., $415,000.

Jackie Yk Tang and Xueling Luo Tang to Darren Morace and Marlyce Morace, 236 Lancaster Drive, $650,000.

Kathleen D. Siedlik and Gary T. Siedlik to Matthew Shanahan and Abbie Shanahan, 1029 North Street Extension, $450,000.

Michael A. Mandella and Donnarenee C. Mandella to James St. Peter and Stephanie Bowlen, 108 Oak Lane, $387,500.

Milissa L. Chanice, representative, Cynthia E. Parentela, estate, and Cynthia Hepburn Parentela, estate, to Michael R. Olson, 143 Valley Brook Road, $275,000.

Nicholas J. Markos to Jason Basset, 82 Plantation Drive, Unit 82, $237,000.

Paul A. Placanico and Danielle L. Placanico to First Nationwide Realty LLC, 303 Walnut St., $500,000.

Pine Crossing Construction Inc., to Joseph F. Fitzpatrick and Barbara L. Fitzpatrick, 95 Villa Drive, Unit 31, $479,900.

Sean P. Burke and Katherine L. Burke to Leon Hubby and Carolyn Jean Hubby, 740 Main St., $500,000.

Stephen King and Eileen King to Nichole Camp and Cyrus Camp, 95 Butternut Drive, $412,000.

Amherst

Anne P. Massey and Anne D. Stright to Anne P. Massey, trustee, and Anne P. Massey Revocable Trust, 32 North Prospect St., $100.

Maureen Humpage to Matthew Abramovitz and Jennifer Galvin, 120 Pulpit Hill Road, $448,200.

Robert E. Jones, trustee, Maxine R. Jones, trustee, Robert E. Jones Revocable Trust and Maxine R. Jones Trust to Bret E. Jackson and Margaret Rakas, 103 Aubinwood Drive, $665,000.

Joshua S. Goldstein to Maya Tal, 9 Poets Corner, $185,000.

Ruby Realty LLC, to A Reyes Homes LLC, 500 Sunderland Road, 502 Sunderland Road and 504 Sunderland Road, $399,900.

Belchertown

Jason F. Randall to Jason F. Randall, trustee, and Randall Family Revocable Trust, 23 Emily Lane, $100.

Andrea B. Lyons and Joseph C. Lyons to Liana M. Burgos and Michael J. Craft, 83 Pondview Circle, $510,000.

Bernardston

Karen N. Delorme to Tyler Duggan and Haylee Graves, 54 River St., $286,300.

Brimfield

Charles W. Utter, Kristin P. Utter and Carl W. Nissen to Kristina Melissa Chester, 32 Dearth Hill Road, $545,000.

Edward M. Canavan and Anne L. Canavan to Luzmarilda Ferreira, 140 John Haley Road, $360,000.

Luzmarilda G. Ferreira to Jaime E. Garcia Heredia, 140 John Haley Road, $387,000.

Buckland

Rachel E. Rose to Brian C. Rose, Hog Hollow Road, $180,000.

Chicopee

Barbara A. Libbey to Alba Contreras and Hector Then, 1554 Donohue Road, $270,000.

Barbara Ann Collins, estate, and Scott A. Collins, representative, to Miroslav Nesterchuk and Petro

Smoliarchuk, 135 Prospect St., $170,000.

Federal National Mortgage Association and Fannie Mae to Daniel Michael Laduke, 37 White St., $137,445.

JGT Property & Maintenance LLC to 229-233 Grattan Street LLC, 229-233 Grattan St., $359,350.

Melro Associates Inc., to Kelvin F. Mercedes Diaz and Pauline A. Andrews, 12 Longwood Court, $325,000.

Stephen F. Powell to Prime Partners LLC, 27 Fairmont St., $140,000.

Colrain

Greenfield Savings Bank, trustee of the Steven J. Warnecke Revocable Trust, to Christy L. Cappadona and Victor J. Cappadona, 91 East Catamount Hill Road, $520,000.

Conway

Jeanine E. Ratcliff and Stephen L. Ratcliff to Lauren Burke and Kieran Daniels, 735 North Poland Road, $422,000.

Kenneth J. Roberts II, to Kevin J. Brennan and Martha J. Brennan, 1044 East Guinea Road, $440,000.

Deerfield

Bernadette C. Bean and Kevin R. Warren to Benegan 2 LLC, 29 Mountain Road, $458,000.

East Longmeadow

Anna L. Falcone and Anna G. Falcone to Jarrod Allen, 41 Edmund St., $315,000.

Cedar Investment Group LLC, to Cheryl A. Smith, 27 Helen Circle, $296,000.

Emtay Inc., to Andrea Lyons and Joseph Lyons, 2 Harvest Circle, $395,000.

Michael Becker and Patricia Becker to Anthony Compton and Rosa Maria Compton, 124 Avery St., $420,000.

Patrick M. Murray to William

Castro, 348 Westwood Ave., $300,000.

Steven R. Morissette, Andrea A. Morissette and Andrea B. Morissette to Waseem Mudasar, 52 East Village Road, $425,000.

Easthampton

Daniel Wauczinski and David Wauczinski to David Wauczinski and Catherine Wauczinski, 22 Overlook Drive, $142,500.

Stephen J. Parmenter and Nina T. Dinh to Stephen J. Parmenter, 117 Cottage St., $100.

Stephen C. Robinson and Stuart W. Robinson to 56-66 Everett Street LLC, 56-66 Everett St., $945,000.

Ruth Purcell and Yvette Purcell to Yvette Purcell, 3 Alexis Drive, $100. Richard R. Facteau and Tracy Facteau to Alexandra M. Millett and Rudolph A. Pikulik, 74 Lovefield St., $575,000.

Plato O Plomo Inc., to Rara Realty LLC, 14-16 Hampton Terrace, $220,000.

Jeanie Childs Steele and William A. Steele to Alana Horowitz Friedman and Robert Hirtle II, 22 Spring St., $435,000.

David J. Haines and Tara Martin Haines to Eliot Vrijmoet and Jarred Beauchamp, 15 Underwood Ave., $310,000.

Granby

Arron J. Britt, Sharon L. Britt and Shawn D. Britt to Sharon L. Britt, Granby Heights, $15,000.

Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC, to Monika Magdalena Sullivan and Daniel James Sullivan, 128 Maximilian Drive, $791,100.

Granville

Jeremy S. Batchelor and Brianna Mariel Batchelor to Monica Lynn Kucienski and Monica L. Kucienski, 1430 Main Road, $510,000.

SEE DEEDS, PAGE F8

“Call for Rates” means actual rates were not available at press time. All rates are quoted on a minimum FICO score of 740. Conventional loans are based on loan amounts of $165,000. Jumbo loans are based on loan amounts of $548.250. Points quoted include discount and/or origination. Lock Days: 30-60. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). The APR on your specific loan may differ from the sample used. Fees reflect charges relative to the APR. If your down payment is less than