Here are some historical mortgage rates from http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h15/data/Annual/H15_MORTG_NA.txt
DATE , MORTGNA
1972, 7.38
1973, 8.04
1974, 9.19
1975, 9.04
1976, 8.86
1977, 8.84 -- Carter takes office
1978, 9.63
1979, 11.19
1980, 13.77
1981, 16.63 -- Carter left office...