Average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage slips to 4.80 pct., but housing still slumping

"Sales of previously occupied homes rose slightly last month to a seasonally adjusted pace of 5.1 million homes a year, the National Association of Realtors said this week. But the March gains were driven by a rise in foreclosure sales to investors. Even with the increase, home sales remained below the 6-million-homes-a-year pace considered healthy by most economists."