The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate dipped for the fourth consecutive week, a good sign for potential homebuyers and a real estate market that’s been mostly cold since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates more than a year ago.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average on the benchmark 30-year rate dipped to 6.28% from 6.32% the previous week. The average rate last year at this time was 4.72%.

The average long-term mortgage rate hit 7.08% in the fall — a two-decade high.

The national median home price slipped 0.2% from February last year to $363,000, marking the first annual decline in 13 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.