Are you thinking about buying a home in the near future? Do you need a mortgage loan to finance your purchase? Here's a trend you should know about. This week, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan rose to its highest level since 2013. This is based on the weekly industry survey conducted by Freddie Mac.

Mortgage Rates Hit 4-Year High in April 2018

On April 26, 2018, Freddie Mac published the latest results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). This survey has been running for decades, and it gives us good insight into various trends. The company describes it as "the foremost reliable, representative source of regional and national mortgage rate trends."

Here are the results of the survey for the week of April 26, 2018:

    •    30-year fixed mortgage loans had an average rate of 4.58%.
    •    15-year fixed mortgage loans had an average rate of 4.02%.
    •    5/1 adjustable (ARM) loans had an average rate of 3.74%.

Here's what is truly noteworthy about these latest indicators. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage (the most popular loan product used by home buyers) just hit its highest level in years. To date, the average rate for a 30-year home loan hasn't been this high since August 2013.

As Freddie Mac officials reported in their April 26 report:

"Mortgage rates increased for the third consecutive week, climbing 11 basis points to 4.58 percent. Rates are now at their highest level since the week of August 22, 2013. Higher Treasury yields, driven by rising commodity prices, more Treasury issuances and the steady stream of solid economic news, are behind the uptick in rates over the past week."

Buying a Home Now Versus Later

Granted, the interest rates that are actually assigned to home loans can vary from one borrower to the next, and for a number of reasons. Loan type, credit scores, and discount points all play a role. The numbers above are merely averages across all of the surveyed lenders.

It's the overall trend here that's most important. And the trend is that average mortgage rates have shot up quite a bit over the last few months.

Home prices, meanwhile, continue to rise in most cities across the country. According to the real estate information company Zillow, the nationwide median home value rose by around 8% over the last year (as of April 2018). And while prices have slowed a down a bit in many areas, they are expected to continue moving north over the coming months -- and into 2019.

These are important trends for home buyers, particularly those who need mortgage financing to complete their purchases. Rising rates can chip away at your buying power, as can rising home values. So those who are planning to buy a home in 2018 might want to consider purchasing sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer: This article includes data, trends and forecasts relating to the housing industry nationwide. This information was provided by third-party sources outside of our company. The information above is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.