	fhlbb says mortgage rates continue decline the federal home loan bank board said home mortgage rates fell from early february to early march to their lowest point in nine years but the rate of decline was slower than it had been in recent months the bank board said the average effective commitment rate for fixed rate mortgages for single family homes and a pct loan to price ratio with a maturity of at least years was pct in early march the rate was four basis points lower than a month ago only one eighth the size of decline in the previous month the bank board said rates for adjustable rate mortgages decline eight basis points from early february to pct in early march the bank board said the drop was far less than the basis point decline in the previous period the agency said the average effective  rate on all loans closed by major mortgage lenders declined nine basis points from early february to early march the agency said the fall brought the rate to pct was the lowest since december it said the effective rate for arms was pct basis points below a month earlier for fixed rate loans it was pct basis points below a month earlier the agency said reuter 
