By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Next Gen Econ
  • Home
  • News
  • Personal Finance
    • Credit Cards
    • Loans
    • Banking
    • Retirement
    • Taxes
  • Debt
  • Homes
  • Business
  • More
    • Investing
    • Newsletter
Reading: How often should you compare mortgage rates?
Share
Subscribe To Alerts
Next Gen Econ Next Gen Econ
Font ResizerAa
  • Personal Finance
  • Credit Cards
  • Loans
  • Investing
  • Business
  • Debt
  • Homes
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Personal Finance
    • Credit Cards
    • Loans
    • Banking
    • Retirement
    • Taxes
  • Debt
  • Homes
  • Business
  • More
    • Investing
    • Newsletter
Follow US
Copyright © 2014-2023 Ruby Theme Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Next Gen Econ > Homes > How often should you compare mortgage rates?
Homes

How often should you compare mortgage rates?

NGEC By NGEC Last updated: March 14, 2024 10 Min Read
SHARE

Key takeaways

  • Mortgage rates can change daily, but that doesn’t mean you need to check rates every day.
  • A number of factors, including the economy, inflation and world events can impact mortgage interest rates.
  • When comparing mortgage rates, it’s important to consider your timeline, APRs or annual percentage rates and your down payment, among other factors.

If you’re wondering if mortgage rates change daily, the answer is yes. But that doesn’t mean you need to check them every day. However, it’s a good idea to check them regularly. As you check rates, know that the average mortgage rate isn’t necessarily the one you’ll qualify for. Your interest rate depends on many factors, including the property type you’re looking to buy and your risk profile as a borrower.

Comparison-shopping for a mortgage isn’t just smart — it’s crucial to get the most competitive rate and mortgage terms. Even a 0.1-point move can save – or cost – thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

How often do mortgage rates change?

It’s a common question among hopeful homeowners, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer: When do mortgage rates change?

Mortgage interest rates are in constant flux and can change daily (and, on occasion, multiple times per day). Sometimes, these changes are minor. But recently, rates have been more volatile, with fluctuations of as much as half a percentage point in a single day.

Mortgage rates have increased significantly in recent years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. After experiencing record lows — rates under 3 percent — the U.S. saw the largest mortgage rate run-up in almost 30 years, with average national rates hitting over 7 percent in the fall of 2023, according to Freddie Mac data.

With that being said, historical mortgage rate trends show that mortgage rates are actually relatively low right now. For comparison, the highest 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 18.4 percent in October 1981, which is much higher than average rates today. Still, the rapidity of the increase, coupled with stubbornly high home prices, has created serious affordability problems for many aspiring homeowners.

What factors determine mortgage rates?

What determines mortgage rates? While some determining factors are within your control, others are not. Here are some common reasons mortgage rates may go up or down:

  • Economic conditions
  • Inflation
  • U.S. Treasury bonds
  • World events, like wars and major disasters
  • Your credit score
  • Your income
  • Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio
  • Loan amount needed
  • Property type

For example, when the economy is strong and unemployment is low, mortgage rates tend to go up. Theoretically, people have more money to spend on loans during these times, so mortgage rates often increase. When the economy struggles, mortgage rates usually decrease.

Another big factor that impacts mortgage rates is inflation. When inflation rises quickly, it typically means the cost of everything rises, and that includes the interest charged on debt products. To continue making profit, lenders charge borrowers higher interest rates so they can continue lending, and continue enticing investors to buy mortgages from them for their yields.

Important considerations when comparing mortgage rates

Your mortgage rate helps determine how much you pay each month for the loan, as well as your total interest charges over the length of the mortgage. As you compare mortgage rates, here are some questions to consider:

What loan do you qualify for?

Different loan types carry different interest rates, so you’ll want to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples based on the type of mortgage you can be approved for. For example, adjustable-rate loans typically start with a lower rate than fixed-rate loans — though that’ll change after the initial period — and 15-year loans tend to charge lower rates than 30-year loans.

How much are you putting down?

The higher your down payment, the better your chances of scoring a lower interest rate. Instead of estimating during the preapproval process, make sure you know exactly how much you’re putting down so you can get an accurate quote from the lenders you’re considering.

What’s a ‘good’ mortgage rate?

Because mortgage rates fluctuate daily, it can be hard to know if the rates you find are the lowest you could possibly get. Each day, Bankrate provides benchmark rates, including for the 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, based on a survey of the largest mortgage lenders in the U.S. Depending on the type of loan you’re getting, you can use this information to judge whether an offer is a “good” one, or if there may be better choices out there.

Remember, though, that any actual rate offers you receive are based on your credit score, income and more. The more you shop around, the easier it will be to understand what a good rate is for your credit and financial profile.

How much is the APR?

The terms interest rate and APR are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing.

Both are expressed as percentages. However, the interest rate on a mortgage represents the interest charged on the loan principal. In contrast, the APR, or annual percentage rate, indicates the cost of the loan including the interest, closing costs and other fees. The APR is a more accurate picture of your all-in cost, and is always higher than the interest rate.

By law, lenders are required to disclose the APR on a loan offer, but they may only include some of the costs in the APR that’s advertised. You can ask what fees the lender factored into the APR and use that information when comparing your options. And, when comparing offers or advertised rates from different lenders, be sure you’re comparing APR to APR, or interest rate to interest rate.

What are the closing costs and fees?

In some cases, the interest rate a lender gives you includes mortgage points, which are fees you pay at closing in exchange for a lower ongoing interest rate. If you’re negotiating with multiple lenders, this may be the lever some pull to beat the competition. But, depending on how the math works out, it may not be worth it to pay more to get the same rate or a slightly lower one, so compare these scenarios carefully.

Some lenders also have flexibility when it comes to other closing costs, like the origination fee. Or it may be able to waive a certain cost altogether, like the appraisal or application fees. It can be helpful to know this information when making your comparisons.

What’s your timeline?

Once you find a rate you like, you can lock it in, meaning your rate won’t change between the offer and closing, assuming you close within the allotted time period and don’t change your application. Lock-in rates are typically valid for 30 to 60 days, but sometimes up to 120 days.

However, if you’re not planning to close on a mortgage within that time frame, it might be best to continue to keep an eye on rates, but maybe not take the next step to apply for a loan yet. Once you have a purchase agreement, the closing process takes on average 44 days as of Feb. 2024, according to ICE Mortgage Technology, but can stretch out longer, depending on the lender.

Have you already locked a rate?

If you’ve already locked in a rate, you can still continue to compare mortgage offers, but lenders typically won’t let you break the lock without paying a fee. If your lock doesn’t have a float-down provision, you won’t be able to take advantage of lower rates at all unless you restart the mortgage process with a new lender. Depending on the difference in rate, though, it can be worth it.

Note that if you’re working with a mortgage broker, the broker can do some of this work for you as they work with multiple lenders to help you find a good rate. However, it’s also a good idea to do your own research so you can compare rate offers with what your broker provides.

Read the full article here

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article Employment growth may make the Fed’s job easier
Next Article How to Deal With Debt in Your 20s in 2024
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
PinterestPin
InstagramFollow
TiktokFollow
Google NewsFollow
Most Popular
What Is An Adjusted Balance?
May 10, 2025
10 Airline Freebies Hiding in Coach—Snag Them Without Elite Status
May 9, 2025
How To Start Traveling With Points, Miles And Credit Cards
May 9, 2025
11 Underrated Email Newsletters That Drop Exclusive Coupon Links Every Week
May 9, 2025
Investing In AI: A Beginner’s Guide
May 9, 2025
Is The Best Way To Save Money Worth It? 9 Unvarnished Realities Nobody Mentions
May 9, 2025

You Might Also Like

Homes

5 Moms, 5 Paths & A Shared Commitment to Financial Wellness

13 Min Read
Homes

State Farm Drive Safe and Save

17 Min Read
Homes

What Is A Subprime Mortgage?

14 Min Read
Homes

What Is Adverse Possession? | Bankrate

10 Min Read

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Next Gen Econ

Next Gen Econ is your one-stop website for the latest finance news, updates and tips, follow us for more daily updates.

Latest News

  • Small Business
  • Debt
  • Investments
  • Personal Finance

Resouce

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Daily Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Get Daily Updates
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?