Here's a look at the state of mortgage rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Dec. 2, 2009.

Mortgages

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose slightly off last week's record low.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage edged up 1 basis point, to 5.01 percent. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Meanwhile, this week's average 15-year fixed-rate -- a popular option for refinancing -- slipped 1 basis point, to a record low 4.46 percent.

The average jumbo 30-year fixed fell 1 basis point, to 6.02 percent.

Adjustable-rate mortgages fell this week. The one-year adjustable-rate mortgage fell 3 basis points, to 5.34 percent. Meanwhile, the popular 5/1 ARM slipped 2 basis points, to a record low of 4.52 percent.

Mortgage applications rose a seasonally adjusted 2.1 percent when compared to a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

For the week ending Nov. 27, applications for new purchase rose 4.1 percent, while refinancing activity was up 1.7 percent.

In other mortgage-related news:

• Pending home sales rose for a record ninth consecutive month in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. The 3.7 percent rise during the month brought the NAR Pending Home Sales Index to 114.1, a 31.8 percent jump from the October 2008 reading. It was the biggest year-over-year gain in the history of the index, which began in 2001.
• Sales of new homes rose 6.2 percent in October when compared to the previous month, according to the Commerce Department. Sales were up 5.1 percent year over year. The median sales price for homes in October was $212,200, and there was a supply of 6.7 months' worth of homes for sale at the end of the month.

To find and compare mortgage rates in your area, visit Bankrate's interactive search tool.

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-- Chris Kissell