 Mortgage rates have eased a bit. Good news for home shoppers. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell this week to 6.89%. The pullback provides modest relief for borrowers at a time when home prices are at record highs. The average rate is still more than double what it was just three years ago. Elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many home shoppers, extending the nation's home sales slump into its third year. Many economists are forecasting that mortgage rates will ease further in coming months. I'm Alex Vega.