Offering slight relief to home buyers this week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to a 3.09% average. But rates may rise again soon.

Housing analysts largely expect mortgage rates to increase in the following months due to the Federal Reserve’s announcement this week that it will slowly reduce its monthly bond purchases.

“While mortgage rates fell after several weeks on the rise, we expect future upticks due to strong economic data and as the Federal Reserve pulls back on its stimulus,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

The National Association of REALTORS® forecasts the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to average 3.5% by the second quarter of 2022.

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Nov. 4:

*30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.09%, with an average 0.7 points, falling from last week’s 3.14% average. Last year at this time, they averaged 2.78%.

*15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 2.35%, with an average 0.6 points, decreasing from last week’s 2.37% average. A year ago, they averaged 2.32%.

Source: Freddie Mac and “Instant Reaction: Mortgage Rates, November 4, 2021,” National Association of REALTORS® Economists’Outlook blog