by Calculated Risk on 2/06/2013 08:43:00 AM

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

The Refinance Index increased 4 percent from the previous week. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 2 percent from one week earlier was at its highest level since the week ending May 7, 2010. ...

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) increased to 3.73 percent from 3.67 percent, with points increasing to 0.43 from 0.42 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The contract interest rate for 30-year fixed mortgages has increased for seven of the last eight weeks.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the MBA mortgage purchase index.

The purchase index has increased in all but one week this year, and is now at the highest level since May 7, 2010 - and that was a spike related to the housing tax credit. The 4-week average of the purchase index is also at the highest level since May 2010.