U.S. mortgage rates plunge for fourth straight week

U.S. mortgage rates declined for the fourth consecutive week remaining below the 3% mark, according to Freddie Mac. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 2.78% for the week ending July 22 — a decline from 2.88% last week. More than three months ago, mortgage rates hit 2.65%, which was the lowest since tracking began in 1971. A year ago, mortgage rates stood at 3.01%. Low mortgage rates help propel U.S. home sales and the refinance market. “Concerns about the Delta variant, and the overall…