Briefly
From Times wire reports
* The rate on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.41% last week, the lowest since July and down from 5.59% the week before. The average 15-year, fixed-rate fell to 4.69% from 4.88%. One-year adjustables averaged 3.41%, down from 3.47%.
* The National Assn. of Realtors raised its 2004 home sales forecast to 6.96 million single-family homes, up 0.06% from its month-ago 6.92 million estimate.
* In the last quarter of 2003, the West had the lowest delinquency rate -- just over 3% of all loans -- of any region in the country, the Mortgage Bankers Assn. reported Thursday.
