According to today’s KC Star Average long-term mortgage rates rose slightly this week but remained near their lows for the year. Mortgage company Freddie Mac said the nationwide average for a 30 year loan increase to 4.14% from 4.12 last week. The average for the 15 year mortgage rose to 3.27 from 3.23 last week. Mortgage rates are below levels of a year ago. They have fallen in recent weeks after climbing last summer when the Federal Reserve began talking about about reducing the monthly bond purchases it was making to keep long-term borrowing rates low.