Mortgage rates soar to 4.42% following rate hike According to the Freddie Mac‘s PMMS survey, rates climbed 26 basis points to 4.42%

Didier Malagies • March 24, 2022


The rollercoaster is still climbing. Mortgage rates are approaching 4.5%, a level economists forecasted would not be reached until the tail end of 2022. And there’s good reason to believe mortgage rates will be in the 5% range before too long.


According to data from Freddie Mac‘s PMMS survey, mortgage rates on the traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped 26 basis points to 4.42% this week, with increases across all loan types.


“Rising inflation, escalating geopolitical uncertainty and the Federal Reserve’s actions are driving rates higher and weakening consumers’ purchasing power,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement.


He added: “In short, the rise in mortgage rates, combined with continued house price appreciation, is increasing monthly mortgage payments and quickly affecting homebuyers’ ability to keep up with the market.” 


The Fed made its first move to increase rates last week, raising the benchmark rate by a quarter of a percentage point.


The Fed said there would likely be six more rate hikes in 2022 and three more in 2023, the primary tool the central bank is using to reduce inflation, which climbed to a 40-year high in February, at an annual rate of 7.9%. But last week, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said he believed inflation was still too high and that the central bank would take ‘necessary steps’ to address it. He noted those rate rises could go from the standard 25 basis point moves to more aggressive 50 basis point increases starting in May. That would push mortgage rates even higher, potentially into the 5% range.


The 30-year-fixed rate rose 26 points from 4.16% for the week ending March 24, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago, the 30-year averaged 3.17%. Freddie Mac assumes borrowers bought 0.8 mortgage points on their loan.


The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.63%, up from 3.39% last week. A year ago, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.45%. The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.36% with an average of 0.3 point purchase by borrowers, 17 basis points higher last week. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.84%.



The increase in rates in recent months has chilled activity in the mortgage market. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage applications this week are down 8.1% from the prior week.

The seasonally adjusted purchase index decreased 1.5% from one week earlier and was 12% lower year-over-year. Meanwhile, refi applications fell 14.3% from the prior week and were down 54.2% from a year ago. 




Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
We're excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations. Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329 
By Didier Malagies September 8, 2025
Good question — refinancing can be a smart move, but the timing really matters. The "right time" to refinance your mortgage depends on a mix of personal and market factors. Here are the main ones to weigh: 1. Interest Rates If current mortgage rates are at least 2% lower than your existing rate, refinancing could save you money. Example: Dropping from 7% to 6% on a $300,000 loan can save hundreds per month. 2. Loan Term Goals Switching from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage can help you pay off your home faster (though monthly payments are higher). Extending your term may lower your monthly payment but increase total interest paid. 3. Equity in Your Home Lenders usually want you to have at least 20% equity for the best rates and to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI). If your home’s value has increased, refinancing can help eliminate PMI. 4. Credit Score If your credit score has improved since you got your mortgage, you may now qualify for much better rates. 5. Life Situation Planning to stay in the home at least 3–5 years? That’s often how long it takes to “break even” on refinance closing costs. If you might sell sooner, refinancing may not make sense. 6. Debt or Cash Needs A cash-out refinance can help if you want to consolidate higher-interest debt, fund renovations, or free up cash — but it raises your loan balance. ✅ Rule of Thumb: Refinance if you can lower your rate, shorten your term, or eliminate PMI, and you’ll stay in the home long enough to recover the costs. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
Show More