REAL ESTATE

Fixed-Rate Mortgages Down: Fixed-rate mortgage rates averaged 9.27% this week, according to a national survey released by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. The rate this week, down from 9.44% last week, was the lowest this year since it fell to 9.25% during the week ending Feb. 15. The high for the year was 9.75% during the week ended Jan. 18. On one-year adjustable-rate mortgages, lenders were asking an average initial rate of 7.14%, down from 7.22% last week and the lowest since Freddie Mac began tracking ARMs in 1984. The rates do not include add-on fees known as points.