Who Offers the Most Competitive Mortgage Rates?
To determine the best mortgage rates in 2021, we reviewed all 30-year loans offered by the largest institutions (the most recent data available). The firms with the average lowest mortgage rates are displayed below.
Remember that interest rates vary per borrower. Therefore, you will need to compare many lenders to locate the greatest rate. The company with the best mortgage rate for you may or may not be mentioned here.
Financial Institutions Offering the Lowest Mortgage Rates
To determine the best mortgage rates for 2021, we evaluated the average 30-year fixed mortgage rates offered by the 30 largest residential mortgage providers (the most recent data available).
The Ten Mortgage Lenders With the Lowest Average Interest Rates Are:
- Freedom Mortgage
- Bank of America
- Veterans United*
- Better
- PennyMac
- AmeriSave
- Navy Federal Credit Union*
- Home Point Financial
- loanDepot
- Caliber Home Loans
These lenders specialize in military loans, although they may not be able to assist every customer.
Remember that prices vary per borrower, and your lowest rate may or may not come from one of the lenders on our list. Borrowers should evaluate the mortgage rates of at least three to five lenders to locate the best one.
The Top Rated Mortgage Interest Rates
Based on national data submitted by lenders under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the following banks and lenders offer the best mortgage rates on average. These averages pertain to 2021, the most recent year data was available at the time of writing.
Rates have increased in 2022, and the average rates displayed here do not reflect current mortgage interest rates. However, historical mortgage rates might be a helpful tool for locating institutions with the average lowest mortgage rates. The lists below are a fantastic place to start if you’re looking for a new mortgage.
Mortgage Lenders Offering the Lowest Rates:
- Freedom Mortgage: 2.66%
- Bank of America: 2.80%
- Veterans United*: 2.86%
- Better Mortgage: 2.86%
- PennyMac: 2.87%
- AmeriSave: 2.90%
- Navy Federal Credit Union*: 2.93%
- Home Point Financial: 2.94%
- loanDepot: 2.99%
- Caliber Home Loans: 2.99%
- Rocket Mortgage: 3.00%
- Guaranteed Rate: 3.01%
- Citizens Bank: 3.01%
- Chase bank: 3.02%
- Newrez: 3.06%
- PNC: 3.08%
- Lakeview Loan Servicing: 3.08%
- New American Funding: 3.08%
- Guild Mortgage Co.: 3.09%
- Cardinal Financial Company: 3.10%
- Movement Mortgage: 3.12%
- Mr. Cooper: 3.13%
- Wells Fargo: 3.14%
- CrossCountry Mortgage: 3.16%
- Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp.: 3.18%
The CFPB is the source of 2021 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act statistics. Historical average rates are provided solely for comparative purposes; your interest rate will be unique. These creditors specialize in particular loan kinds and may only be able to assist some consumers.
Note that the above-average rates apply to each institution’s 30-year loans originated in 2021.
Best Mortgage Rates by Type of Loan
Mortgage rates vary widely amongst lenders. However, they also go by loan kind. In addition, specific lenders are more competitive for one mortgage kind than another.
Some lenders specializing in VA mortgages may be less competitive for conventional loans, and vice versa.
The tables below provide the best mortgage rates for the four most common types of mortgages: conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA. Again, consider these lists as a starting point, but remember that the rates displayed are 2021 averages and do not reflect current mortgage rates.
Best Conventional Mortgage Rates
- Bank of America: 2.79%
- Better Mortgage: 2.86%
- AmeriSave: 2.91%
- Citizens Bank: 2.99%
- Home Point FInancial: 3.01%
- Chase Bank: 3.01%
- loanDepot: 3.01%
- Rocket Mortgage: 3.03%
- Wells Fargo: 3.03%
- Guaranteed Rate: 3.04%
The CFPB is the source of 2021 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act statistics. Historical average rates are provided solely for comparative purposes; your interest rate will be unique.
Best FHA Mortgage Rates
- Freedom Mortgage: 2.80%
- Home Point Financial: 2.81%
- Homebridge Financial: 2.84%
- Caliber Home Loans: 2.85%
- Rocket Mortgage: 2.85%
- American Financing Corp.: 2.86%
- DHI Mortgage: 2.88%
- AmeriSave: 3.00%
- PennyMac: 3.01%
- Flagstar Bank: 3.02%
The CFPB is the source of 2021 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act statistics. Historical average rates are provided solely for comparative purposes; your interest rate will be unique.
Best VA Mortgage Rates
- Village Capital and Investment*: 2.44%
- Freedom Mortgage: 2.45%
- Home Point Financial: 2.47%
- Rocket Mortgage: 2.51%
- Navy Federal Credit Union*: 2.53%
- loanDepot: 2.56%
- Lakeview Loan Servicing: 2.62%
- American Financial Network: 2.62%
- AmeriSave: 2.63%
- PennyMac: 2.63%
The CFPB is the source of 2021 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act statistics. Historical average rates are provided solely for comparative purposes; your interest rate will be unique. These creditors specialize in particular loan kinds and may only be able to assist some consumers.
Best USDA Mortgage Rates
- Freedom Mortgage: 2.68%
- DHI Mortgage: 2.69%
- Home Point Financial: 2.78%
- Flagstar Bank: 2.82%
- AmeriSave: 2.90%
- Guaranteed Rate: 2.94%
- Planet Home Lending: 2.96%
- Newrez: 2.96%
- PennyMac: 2.97%
- Caliber Home Loans: 2.97%
The CFPB is the source of 2021 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act statistics. Historical average rates are provided solely for comparative purposes; your interest rate will be unique.
Current Mortgage Rates
Not only may mortgage rates fluctuate daily, but they sometimes do so numerous times each day. If you’re in the market for a mortgage, you should monitor daily mortgage rate fluctuations.
Knowing whether interest rates are rising or lowering might help you choose when to lock in a rate, particularly if you’re refinancing. And it might indicate how competitive your prices are relative to the market as a whole.
Which Is More Crucial, Low Mortgage Rates or Low Closing Costs?
Comparing upfront loan fees is equally as crucial as comparing mortgage rates.
The fact that your interest rate is fixed for the duration of the loan and helps set your monthly mortgage payment may make it appear much more significant. But upfront payments can also significantly impact, especially if you only plan to reside in the home for a few years.
Remember that most 30-year mortgage borrowers only maintain their loans for part of 30 years. In reality, homeowners retain 30-year loans for an average of only seven years. And when you’re only paying interest for a short period, those upfront costs begin to have a greater weight than your interest rate.
Lenders may highlight low closing costs or low-interest rates to make an offer more appealing while increasing the other figure.
In addition, lenders will occasionally highlight one statistic over another to make an offer appear more favorable than it is.
For instance, lenders may promote low- or no-fee mortgages claiming that they would pay the up-front expenses. However, these loans often have a higher rate of interest. Other lenders may highlight extremely cheap interest rates but charge greater origination costs or discount points to compensate.
So, while you’re in the market for a mortgage, carefully review your rate quotations. Examine the rates, up-front fees, and total expected closing expenses to ensure you receive the best deal possible.
Methods for Comparing Mortgage Rates
Comparing mortgage rates and fees is simple if you know what you’re doing. There are five fundamental steps:
- Improve your credit score and home-buying budget to obtain the greatest deal. Utilize a mortgage calculator to determine how your down payment and interest rate impact the property price you can afford. Before you begin getting quotations, it might be a great warm-up practice.
- Determine the sort of mortgage loan you require. For instance, are you looking for a single-family house or a property with many units? Do you have a modest down payment, or are you transferring a substantial amount of equity from your current house to the new one?
- Find loan providers offering the desired sort of loan. First-time homebuyers may be better suited for an FHA loan, but borrowers with a high FICO score and a substantial down payment are likely to qualify for a conventional mortgage. If you live in a rural or suburban region, you may be eligible for a USDA loan.
- Utilize advertised rates, referrals, customer feedback, and expert reviews to choose the top mortgage providers.
- Request Loan Estimates (also known as “quotes”) from the lenders and compare the interest rates and costs in each offer.
This final step, comparing Loan Estimates, is essential for locating the best mortgage rate and the most affordable mortgage overall.
Each lender that pre-approves you will provide you with a Loan Estimate. These documents are in a standard format that facilitates side-by-side comparison. Examine interest rates, annual percentage rates (APR), up-front charges, discount points, and lender fees to decide which loan offer is the most inexpensive.
Advice on Obtaining the Lowest Mortgage Rate
If you want the lowest attainable mortgage rate, you must search around. This is the first rule. However, there are other methods you may utilize to negotiate cheaper rates with lenders.
- Attempt a last-ditch credit increase. Before purchasing or refinancing, consider ways to enhance your credit. Your credit score significantly impacts your mortgage rate, and even a slight improvement might result in substantial savings.
- Consider discount points. If you can afford it, you can make a larger down payment in exchange for a lower mortgage rate throughout the loan term. This may be a wise decision if you want to maintain your house for a long time. A discount point costs 1% of the loan amount and often reduces your interest rate by 0.25 percentage points.
- Discuss your price. Negotiating with a lender may sound frightening, but have faith that it is possible. The interest rates that mortgage lenders provide are flexible, and they want your business. A lower interest rate from a rival lender may be your only leverage to negotiate a better deal with your preferred lender.
- Discuss your closing fees. Certain closing charges, such as third-party appraisal and credit report fees, are non-negotiable. But fees charged by your lender can often be reduced to save you money upfront.
- Learn when to lock in a rate. Mortgage interest rates fluctuate every day. If you want the lowest possible rate, monitor daily rate fluctuations and be prepared to lock when they decrease.
There may be more entertaining ways to spend a day than obtaining mortgage estimates. However, a few hours of work might save you tens of thousands of dollars on your new house or mortgage refinance.
One research indicated that those who compare only three lenders save an average of $300 each year. And if you are an astute shopper, you may save much more.
