This week, according to mortgage financer Freddie Mac in an article by the Associated Press, rates on fixed 30 year mortgages have fallen slightly below 5 percent to 4.97 percent. This can be attributed to the recent program implemented by the Federal Reserve to make home buying more affordable. The program places $1.25 trillion in to mortgage backed securities in an effort to keep rates low. To learn more and view the full article, go to http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100211/ap_on_bi_ge/us_mortgage_rates