WASHINGTON(AP)—Rates for 30-year home loans inched downward this week, the first decline in a month, but remained above last month’s record lows.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was 5.09 percent this week, down from 5.14 percent a week earlier, mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Rates dropped to a record low of 4.71 percent in early December, pushed down by an aggressive government campaign to reduce consumers’ borrowing costs, but then rose steadily for the rest of the month.

The average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 4.5 percent, down from 4.54 percent last week, according to Freddie Mac.

Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 4.44 percent, unchanged from a week earlier. Rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 4.31 percent from 4.33 percent.

The rates do not include add-on fees known as points.

The nationwide fee for loans in Freddie Mac’s survey averaged 0.7 point for 30-year and 15-year loans and 0.6 point for five-year and one-year loans.