Source: Freddie Mac

Disclaimer:
Although the Mortgage Rates Chart attempts to provide reliable, useful information in this data. Mortgage Rates Chart does not guarantee that the information is accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. Estimates contained in this document are currently those of the Mortgage Rates Chart and are subject to change without notice.

The dataset contains weekly U.S. mortgage rates starting from April 1971. Here’s a detailed analysis and written report based on the columns above:

Column Breakdown:

• This column provides the date for each mortgage rate entry, recorded on a weekly basis. The first entry is from April 2, 1971, with subsequent entries following every week.

• This column lists the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, which represents the interest rate for a 30-year mortgage at a fixed rate.
• For example:
  • On April 2, 1971, the 30-year FRM was 7.33%.
  • Over the next few weeks, it fluctuated slightly, with values such as:
  • April 9, 1971: 7.31%
  • April 16, 1971: 7.31%
  • April 23, 1971: 7.31%
  • April 30, 1971: 7.29%

• This column likely refers to the additional costs (fees and points) associated with obtaining a 30-year mortgage. However, in the initial records from 1971, this data is missing (NaN), indicating that the dataset does not have information on these fees for that period.

• This column contains the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rates, but in the early part of the dataset (1971), the values are missing (NaN). This could indicate that 15-year fixed-rate mortgage data wasn’t available or wasn’t recorded at that time.

• Similar to the 30-year fees and points, this column captures the fees for a 15-year mortgage. Like the previous columns, the early entries show missing data (NaN), suggesting that this information wasn’t available in the dataset for the initial time frame.

• The 5/1 ARM refers to a mortgage that has a fixed rate for the first five years and then adjusts annually. However, the data for this column is also missing (NaN) for the early records in the dataset.

• This column captures the fees associated with a 5/1 ARM. The data is also missing in the early part of the dataset.

• This margin refers to the additional interest charged on top of the base rate for adjustable-rate mortgages. Like the ARM rates and fees, this data is absent (NaN) for the early 1971 records.

• This column reflects the difference or spread between the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and the 5/1 ARM. The early entries from 1971 also show missing data (NaN), indicating that the spread between these two rates wasn’t available or recorded.

Summary:

• The dataset begins in April 1971 and provides weekly data on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages.
• Data for 15-year FRMs, 5/1 ARMs, and their respective fees and spreads seem to be missing for the initial period, suggesting that those products were either not offered or not included in the dataset then.
• The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in April 1971 hovered around 7.29% to 7.33%, showing slight variations from week to week.
• Additional data points (e.g., fees, 15-year rates, and ARM rates) are expected to appear in later periods of the dataset, as these mortgage types became more common.

Data Suggestions: 50 Years Mortgage Rate