A “For Sale” sign sits in front of a new home May 27, 2004 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Mortgage demand ended 2023 on a sour note, despite a sharp drop in mortgage interest rates during December. Total application volume was down 9.4% for the week ended Dec. 29, compared with two weeks earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. The MBA was closed last week, and the results include adjustments for the holidays. The average rate on the 30-year fixed ended the year at 6.76%, lower than where it was two weeks ago, but higher than it was a week ago. That, however, is still well…
