The VA

Mortgage application activity decreased 3.3% from one week earlier as purchase and refinance volume fell prior to the start of the home buying season, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage applications increased 4.8% from one week earlier and rose for the fourth time in five weeks as key interest rates held steady, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Closing times for refinances have fallen dramatically due to mortgage lenders' increased emphasis on home purchase loans.

The share of mortgage refinance applications dropped to its lowest level in nearly 10 years as interest rates continued to climb.

Continued increases in mortgage rates caused the refinance loan application share to fall to its lowest level since September 2008, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

February's volume of mortgage loan applications for newly constructed homes rose both year-over-year and month-to-month, continuing the momentum from a surprisingly strong showing in January.

Loan program revisions made by one large conventional mortgage investor led to a decrease in total residential home finance credit availability in February.

Mortgage application activity increased slightly from one week earlier even as the rate for the 30-year conforming loan rose to its highest level in four years.

Higher levels of purchase activity even with rising interest rates drove the increase in mortgage applications compared with one week earlier.

With 30-year mortgage rates reaching a four-year high, loan application activity was lower this past week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.