30 Year fixed mortgage rate fell to 4,78 PCT. (AP)

NEW YORK - fixed mortgage rates dipped this week, with the rate of the loan of 30 years staying less than 5% and the 15-year loans falling below 4 per cent.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan fell to 4,78% of 4.80% the previous week. It struck a minimum of 40 years of 4.17% in November.

The average rate on the fixed mortgage slipped to 3.97% 4.02% in 15 years. She reached 3.57% in November, the level low on records dating back to 1991.

Mortgage rates tend to follow the performance on the ticket of 10 years of the Treasury Board, which fell earlier this week on the low manufacturing activity, Philadelphia, Dallas and Richmond, said Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist of Freddie.

Despite low rates, housing remains in the doldrums. High unemployment and tight lending standards that prevent people buying houses. A record number of foreclosures forcing low real estate prices, leaving potential buyers worried that prices have not bottomed out yet.

Four builders softer sales in the latest quarter. Loss of PulteGroup Inc. is dug in the first three months of the year on a decline of 17% of sales. Its new net orders for houses bordered to less than one percent. The Ryland Group Inc., M / I Homes Inc. and Meritage Homes Corp. all the reported decline to two digits of the new home, a sign of future demand commands.

More Americans did sign contracts to buy homes last month, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday. But the increase was not enough for sales to a level economists consider healthy.

To calculate the average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac collects rates lenders across the country on Monday to Wednesday of each week. Rates fluctuate often significantly, even within a single day.

The average rate for a five-year rate mortgage increased from 3.61% to 3.51 percent. The loan of five years has hit to 3.25% last month, the lowest rate on records dating back to January 2005.

The average rate on a variable rate loan - one year fell to 3.15% of 3.16%. Which marked the lowest level for the rate on the arm of 1 year in the last year.

The rates do not include the cost of the add-on, called points. A point is equal to 1% of the total amount of loan. The fee for the 30-year fixed average ready and ready fixed 15 years in the survey of Freddie Mac was 0.7 point. The average fee for the five-year arm and the arm of 1 year was 0.6 of a point.