Mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage have dropped again, for the 8th consecutive week, according to mortgage giant, Freddie Mac.  Although the rates have dropped to 4.49% from 4.55% the week before, the rates have done very little to boost sales in the struggling real estate market.

High unemployment, continually dropping home prices and the tight lending standards are keeping a majority of the potential homebuyers on sidelines.  Low mortgage rates are normally a temptation for homeowners looking to finance, however most of the homeowners that could afford to refinance already did so in 2010 when the home prices plummeted.

Home prices are expected to continue to fall throughout the year by as much as 10%, according to many economists.

Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates from lenders across the nation weekly Monday through Wednesday.  As the rates tend to follow long-term Treasury yields, the rates can change significantly, even on a given day.