Mortgage rates on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage continue to fall into the seventh consecutive week, according to mortgage giant, Freddie Mac. Falling to 4.55% from 4.60% the week before, the low mortgage rates have done very little to boost the struggling real estate market.

Many potential homebuyers are standing on the sidelines as the unemployment rates remain high, house prices continue to fall and the tightened lending standards are unable to be met. Although sales of new and previously owned homes rose slightly in April, the sales still remain below healthy levels.

Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates from lenders across the nation weekly, Monday through Wednesday and as the rates tend to follow long-term Treasury bonds, they are subject to fluctuate significantly, even on a given day.

The rates don't include add-on fees, also known as points. One point is the equivalent of 1% of the total amount of the loan.