After mortgages rates cracked below 5% last week, rates declined even further this week, according to Freddie Mac’s (FRE) weekly survey. The average interest for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) was 4.93% with an average 0.7 origination point for the week ending February 18, compared to last week’s average of 4.97%. A year ago, the average rate was 5.04%. “Mortgage rates eased for the second week, while economic data releases suggest that the housing market may be in a slow state of recovery,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. Bankrate.com’s survey or large banks and thrifts put the average rate for a 30-year FRM at 5.15% with an average 0.44 origination point, unchanged from a week ago. Freddie Mac put the average rate for a 15-year FRM at 4.33% with an average 0.6 point, down from last week’s rate of 4.34% and last year’s rate of 4.68%. Bankrate.com put the average rate for a 15-year FRM 4.52% with a 0.44 point, down from last week’s rate of 4.55%. The five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.12% with an average 0.5 point, down from last week’s rate of 4.19% and last year’s 5.04%, Freddie said. Bankrate.com’s survey put the average rate for a five-year ARM at 4.56% with an average 0.44 point, unchanged from last week. Freddie said the one-year ARM averaged 4.23% with an average 0.6 point, down from last week’s rate of 4.33% and a year ago, when the rate was 4.8%. Write to Austin Kilgore. The author held no relevant investments.