The U.S. government’s efforts to revive the housing market have helped push mortgage rates down to record levels, making homes more affordable for buyers hunting for a good deal in a soft market.

The average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages fell for the fifth straight week to 4.71%, Freddie Mac /quotes/comstock/13*!fre/quotes/nls/fre (FRE 1.09, 0.00, 0.00%) said Thursday. Read full story on declining mortgage rates.

Full story is available on Market Watch