"Condos were in high demand from consumers all year long with December marking the highest number of condos sold for the month, which is typically one of the slowest months for Illinois home sales. First-time buyers commanded a large share of the housing market. As reported by the National Association of REALTORS(R) in its 2005 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 40 percent of homes sold last year were purchased by first-time buyers." The monthly average commitment rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage for the North Central region was 6.40 percent, down 0.01 points from the 6.41 average rate during the previous month, according to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. Last year in December it averaged 5.80 percent. The 30- year fixed-rate mortgage is projected to reach 6.7 percent during the second half of 2006.