NEW YORK U.S. mortgage rates fell for the third-straight week this week to the lowest since late September, signaling falling yields in the Treasury market that largely determine home borrowing costs may be boosting housing market affordability.

The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dipped to 7.44% from 7.50% the week before, according to a Freddie Mac survey released Thursday. The softening comes after rates reached a 23-year high of 7.79% three weeks ago.

(Reporting by Amina Niasse; Editing by Dan Burns)