The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the fifth week in a row to its lowest level since late December, a welcome boost for prospective homebuyers in what’s traditionally the bus

Mortgage rates moved slightly lower this week, but not enough to motivate most buyers. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell five basis points to 6.79% the week ending Feb. 20, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the fifth week in a row to its lowest level since late December, a welcome boost for prospective homebuyers in what's traditionally the busiest time of the year for home sales.