US Mortgage Applications Extend Decline
2026-02-04 12:13
By
Andre Joaquim
1 min. read
The volume of mortgage applications in the US fell by 8.9% from the previous week in the last week of January, extending the 8.5% pullback from the earlier period to trim the combined 47% surge that had taken place since the start of the year, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Applications fell for a second week despite the drop in mortgage rates as aggressive winter weather drove potential buyers to refrain from going to showings, while markets continued to assess how the Freddie Mac and the Fannie Mae would comply with President's Trump order to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities.
Applications for a mortgage to purchase a new home sank by 14%, underscoring the impact of Winter Storm Fern, driving potential buyers to be snowed in.
Meanwhile, applications for contracts to refinance a mortgage, which are sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, fell by a softer 5% from the previous week.