On another bright note, Freddie Mac announced on July 1st that the average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate fell to a record low of 4.58%. In the prior week, the average was 4.69%. The year-ago average was 5.32%. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages also reached a new record low, averaging 4.04%, down from 4.13% in the prior week.