WASHINGTON — Fixed U.S. mortgage rates fell again to new record lows, providing prospective buyers with even more incentive to brave a modestly recovering housing market.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average on the 30-year loan dropped to 3.62 percent. That’s down from 3.66 percent last week and the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.

The average rate on the 15-year mortgage, a popular refinancing option, slipped to 2.89 percent, below last week’s previous record of 2.94 percent.

The average rate on the 30-year loan has fallen to or matched record low levels in 10 of the past 11 weeks. And it’s been below 4 percent since December.

Cheap mortgages have provided some lift to the long-suffering housing market, which has slowly improved this year.