The uptick in the cost of home loans reflects a rise in the bond yields that lenders use as a guide to price mortgages, specifically the yield on the US 10-year Treasury. The yield on the 10-year Treasury has climbed from 3.62 percent in mid-September to 4.66% this week.

Mortgage interest rates pulled back a little this week, but it was hardly enough to erase the past three weeks' gains. The week ending Jan. 9, the average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell four basis points to 6.93%, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. A basis point is one-one hundredth of a percentage point.

Fourth week of higher rates comes after 10-year Treasury yields, which mirror mortgage rates, rose after new economic data released this week pointed to stickier inflation and more job openings.