Mortgage rates defied forecasts in 2014 by not inching up to 5 percent as predicted during the year. Instead, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is still hovering under 4 percent lows.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the most popular loan among home buyers, remained below 4 percent for every week except for two since Oct. 16, Freddie Mac reports.

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Despite fixed-rate mortgages ticking up slightly this week, rates remain near 2014 lows, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage market survey. Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Dec. 31, 2014:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.87 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 3.83 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.53 percent. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached a record low on Nov. 21, 2012, when it averaged 3.31 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.15 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 3.10 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.55 percent.
• 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.01 percent, with an average 0.5 point, holding the same average as last week. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.05 percent.
• 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.40 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 2.39 percent average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 2.56 percent.

Source: Freddie Mac