Compare Today's 30-Year Mortgage Rates | Bankrate (2024)

Mortgage news this week

30-year mortgage rates dip this week

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 7.00 percent as of March 13, according to Bankrate’s weekly national survey of large lenders.

Learn more: Historical 30-year mortgage rates

While many variables impact mortgage prices, the big focus is inflation and the Federal Reserve’s response to it. The rate on 30-year mortgages, specifically, moves with the 10-year Treasury yield, which topped 4 percent recently.

For now, forecasters still think rates will trend down throughout the year, even as the prospect of a Federal Reserve rate cut moves further down the line.

“Mortgage rates are ticking higher this week as inflation continues to be sticky,” says Melissa Cohn of William Raveis Mortgage. “The Fed will definitely not be cutting rates next week.”

While the Fed doesn't directly set 30-year fixed mortgage rates, its monetary policies do influence their direction.

Learn more: How the Federal Reserve impacts mortgage rates

Waiting for mortgage rates to fall might not be the right move for buyers, however.

“If you hold out for a lower mortgage rate, know that home prices are going to keep going up in most markets,” says Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS, a listing service in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Current mortgage and refinance interest rates

How to get the best 30-year mortgage rate

If you compare loan offers from a few mortgage lenders, you’ll have a better chance of landing a competitive rate. Here's how:

• Decide whether a 30-year mortgage rate is right for you. The 30-year term is the most popular option, but it’s far from the only one. Depending on the lender you work with, you might be able to apply for fixed-rate loans amortized over anywhere from eight to 29 years.
• Get preapproved: Get rate quotes from at least three mortgage lenders, ideally on the same day so you have an accurate basis for comparison. Lenders determine your interest rate based on your credit score, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and other factors, including the size of your down payment.
• Compare the interest rate and APR:The interest rate and annual percentage rate (APR) reflect the cost of the loan. The interest rate is the cost to borrow the funds, while the APR includes the interest rate and other costs such as the origination fee and any points.
• Consider the lender’s ratings and your experience: Aside from the numbers, evaluate lenders for convenience and responsiveness. Take a look at what other borrowers have had to say about the lender, too.

Pros and cons of a 30-year mortgage

Prosof a 30-year mortgage

• Lower monthly payment: Repaying a mortgage over 30 years means you’ll have lower, more affordable payments spread out over time compared to shorter-term loans like 15-year mortgages.
• Stability: Having a consistent principal and interest payment helps you better map out your housing expenses for the long term. (Your overall monthly housing expenses can change, however, if your homeowners insurance and property taxes go up or down.) Of course, this is only true if your mortgage has a fixed rate. An adjustable-rate mortgage won’t give you this same benefit for the whole life of the loan.
• Buy more house: With lower payments, you might be able to qualify for a larger loan amount and afford a more expensive home.
• More financial flexibility: Lower monthly payments can provide more cushion in your budget for other goals, like saving for emergencies, retirement, college tuition or home repairs and maintenance.

Consof a 30-year mortgage

• More total interest paid: Stretching out repayment over 30 years means you’ll wind up paying more in interest overall than you would with a shorter-term loan.
• Higher mortgage rates: Lenders usually charge higher interest rates for 30-year loans because they’re taking on the risk of not being repaid for a longer amount of time.
• Becoming house poor: Just because you might be able to afford more house with a 30-year loan doesn’t mean you should overstretch your budget. Give yourself some breathing room for other financial goals and unexpected expenses.
• Slower equity growth: It will take longer to build equity in your home because most of your initial mortgage payments will go towards interest rather than paying down your principal amount.