What is the US mortgage rate right now?
Today's national 30-year mortgage interest rate trends
For today, Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the current average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 7.25%, up 15 basis points over the last week.
Today's national 30-year mortgage interest rate trends
For today, Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the current average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 7.25%, up 15 basis points over the last week.
The National Association of Realtors expects mortgage rates will average 6.8% in the first quarter of 2024, dropping to 6.6% in the second quarter, according to its latest Quarterly U.S. Economic Forecast. The trade association predicts that rates will continue to fall to 6.1% by the end of the year.
- Better, 3.89%
- Bank of America, 4.20%
- Citibank, 4.23%
- Amerisave, 4.33%
- DHI Mortgage Company, 4.34%
- PNC Bank, 4.35%
- Home Point Financial, 4.35%
- Navy Federal Credit Union*, 4.38%
Right now, the Fed interest rate is 5.25% to 5.50%. The FOMC established that rate in late July 2023.
Top-tier borrowers could see mortgage rates in the mid-6% range, while lower-credit and non-QM borrowers could expect rates well above 7%. Of course, mortgage rates are famously volatile and it's possible a good mortgage rate next year might be substantially higher than what it is today.
Sure, mortgage rates could fall to 3% at some point, but chances are that's not going to happen anytime soon. Moreover, waiting for rates to drop before you buy your home could backfire. Instead, consider buying your house now and refinancing your mortgage when rates improve.
Mortgage rates are likely to trend down in 2024. Depending on which forecast you look at for housing market predictions in 2024, 30-year mortgage rates could end up somewhere between 5.8% and 6.1% by the end of the year.
After hitting record-low territory in 2020 and 2021, mortgage rates climbed to a 23-year high in 2023. Many experts and industry authorities believe they will follow a downward trajectory into 2024.
The ESR Group expects mortgage rates to decline in 2024, ending the year below 6 percent. The lower rate environment is expected to boost refinance volumes, which are already on the upswing, as evidenced by the recent uptick in Fannie Mae's Refinance Application-Level Index, to nearly double their 2023 levels in 2024.
How do I get a lower mortgage rate?
- Shop for mortgage rates. ...
- Improve your credit score. ...
- Choose your loan term carefully. ...
- Make a larger down payment. ...
- Buy mortgage points. ...
- Lock in your mortgage rate. ...
- Refinance your mortgage.
But the signs seem to be that interest rates may have peaked for this cycle. Many experts predict interest rates will remain at their current level for most of 2024. This may mean that mortgage rates stay at or about the same level as now for many months before possibly starting to fall towards the end of 2024.
| FICO Score | National average mortgage APR |
|---|---|
| 660 to 679 | 6.852% |
| 680 to 699 | 6.638% |
| 700 to 759 | 6.461% |
| 760 to 850 | 6.239% |
Today's national mortgage interest rate trends
On Friday, February 16, 2024, the current average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate is 7.29%, rising 19 basis points over the last week.
The Fed has repeatedly raised rates in an effort to corral rampant inflation that has reached 40-year highs. Higher interest rates may help curb soaring prices, but they also increase the cost of borrowing for mortgages, personal loans and credit cards.
China Loan Prime Rate is at 3.45%, compared to 3.45% last month and 3.65% last year. This is lower than the long term average of 3.78%. The China Loan Prime Rate (LPR) is the lending rate provided by commercial banks to their highest quality customers, and serves as the benchmark for rates provided for other loans.
| Annual Percentage Rate (APR) | Monthly payment (15 year) | Monthly payment (30 year) |
|---|---|---|
| 6.25% | $857.42 | $615.72 |
| 6.50% | $871.11 | $632.07 |
| 6.75% | $884.91 | $648.60 |
| 7.00% | $898.83 | $665.30 |
For a 100K mortgage, the payment on a 30-year loan at 7% interest would be $665.30. For a 15-year mortgage loan term, the payment increases to $898.83, which helps you pay off the loan sooner and pay less in interest costs over the entire loan.
Higher interest rates typically have two effects on the housing market that can help drive down prices: They price some buyers out of the market, which is good for the buyers who remain, and they typically have the effect of putting downward pressure on housing prices, which is good for buyers.
| Source | Projected 30-year mortgage rate (by end of 2024) |
|---|---|
| Mortgage Bankers Association | 6.1% |
| Fannie Mae | 5.8% |
| Realtor.com | 6.5% |
| Redfin | 6.6% |
What will the mortgage rate be in 2025?
Goldman said it expects 30-year mortgage rates will drop to 6.3% by the end of 2024, and fall slightly in 2025 to 6% as the Fed starts to cut interest rates. Previously, Goldman had expected the 30-year mortgage rate to be at 7.1% by the end of 2024 and at 6.6% by the end of 2025.
Legally, there isn't a limit on how many times you can refinance your home loan. However, mortgage lenders do have a few mortgage refinance requirements you'll need to meet each time you apply for a loan, and some special considerations are important to note if you want a cash-out refinance.
“The housing market is off to a good start this year, as consumers benefit from falling mortgage rates,” said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun in the association's December pending home sales report. NAR forecasts that sales will rise by 13 percent in 2024.
What is clear is that mortgage rates will continue to drop in the New Year and home prices will recover by 2025, according to Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae expects mortgage rates to decline gradually over the next two years, reaching 6.9% for the 30-year mortgage by 2025.
The 10-year treasury constant maturity rate in the U.S. is forecast to decline by 0.8 percent by 2026, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall by 1.6 percent. From seven percent in the third quarter of 2023, the average 30-year mortgage rate is projected to reach 5.4 percent in 2026.
