Mortgage demand rises 2.2% as interest rates decline slightly

Source: CNBC — 

Mortgage applications rose 2.2% last week compared with the previous week, prompted by a slight decline in interest rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

Refinance applications, which are usually most sensitive to weekly rate moves, rose 2% for the week but were still 86% lower than the same week one year ago. Even with interest rates now back from their recent high of 7.16% a month ago, there are precious few who can still benefit from a refinance — just 220,000, according to real estate data firm Black Knight.