Today, the mortgage interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.98%, according to the Mortgage Research Center, while the average rate on a 15-year mortgage is 6.05%. On a 30-year jumbo mortgage, the average rate is 7.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their loan to a lower rate, rose this week.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the third week in a row, a smidgen of relief for prospective home shoppers getting into the market before the busy spring homebuying season starts.