Mortgage rates have slowly begun to rise just as the spring home-buying time nears. This could be perilous to the recovery in housing markets.

Mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said that the average rate on a 30-year home loan this week in the U.S. jumped to 5.21 percent, from 5.08 percent last week. It represents the highest rate for 30-year mortgages since Aug. 13, nearly eight months ago.

In early December, the rate stood at 4.71 percent, a historic low.