30-year mortgage rates chart: Where are rates now?
If you look at a 30-year mortgage rate chart, there’s a trend you
can’t miss: Today’s
rates are low.
Really low.
But remember, these are just averages. Your mortgage rate might be higher or lower than the ‘typical’ borrower.
Check your mortgage rates today (Jan 30th, 2021)
In this article (Skip to…)
Mortgage rate trends chart: Where are rates
headed?
The coronavirus pandemic pushed mortgage rates to rock
bottom, and most experts think they can’t go down much further.
If anything, mortgage rates are likely to go up in the
coming months and years, as COVID recovery progresses and the economy begins to
improve.
Borrowers shouldn’t expect dramatic rate spikes.
But unlike 2020, when mortgage rates hit record lows over and over, we’re likely to see more upward movement for 30-year mortgage rates and other home financing rates.
Those who are ready to buy a home or refinance now
shouldn’t wait on rates to fall; it’s not likely to happen.
But if your home buying or refinancing plans are further
down the road, you shouldn’t worry about any huge rate increases in the near
future. Affordable financing is here for the long haul.
Verify your new rate (Jan 30th, 2021)
Average 30-year mortgage rates since 1972
For some perspective on today’s mortgage interest rates,
here’s how 30-year rates have changed from year to year over the past four
decades.
Year | Average 30-Year Rate | Year | Average 30-Year Rate | Year | Average 30-Year Rate |
1972 | 7.38% | 1988 | 10.34% | 2004 | 5.84% |
1973 | 8.04% | 1989 | 10.32% | 2005 | 5.87% |
1974 | 9.19% | 1990 | 10.13% | 2006 | 6.41% |
1975 | 9.05% | 1991 | 9.25% | 2007 | 6.34% |
1976 | 8.87% | 1992 | 8.39% | 2008 | 6.03% |
1977 | 8.85% | 1993 | 7.31% | 2009 | 5.04% |
1978 | 9.64% | 1994 | 8.38% | 2010 | 4.69% |
1979 | 11.20% | 1995 | 7.93% | 2011 | 4.45% |
1980 | 13.74% | 1996 | 7.81% | 2012 | 3.66% |
1981 | 16.63% | 1997 | 7.60% | 2013 | 3.98% |
1982 | 16.04% | 1998 | 6.94% | 2014 | 4.17% |
1983 | 13.24% | 1999 | 7.44% | 2015 | 3.85% |
1984 | 13.88% | 2000 | 8.05% | 2016 | 3.65% |
1985 | 12.43% | 2001 | 6.97% | 2017 | 3.99% |
1986 | 10.19% | 2002 | 6.54% | 2018 | 4.54% |
1987 | 10.21% | 2003 | 5.83% | 2019 | 3.94% |
Can 30-year mortgage rates go lower?
The short answer is that
mortgage rates can always go lower. But you shouldn’t expect them to.
Mortgage rates operate in
their own market. Lenders have control over the rates they set, and many are
content to keep rates (and profit margins) a little higher.
This helps stem the tide of
home buyers and refinancers and keep their workload manageable.
In addition, mortgage rates
have to answer to end investors.
When rates fall too rapidly, investors start paying less for mortgage-backed securities (MBS) — the financial instruments that drive mortgage rates.
This is because investors assume homeowners will refinance, paying off their loans faster and reducing the returns on interest.
Less money from investors,
in turn, means lenders have to keep their rates a little higher, or charge
borrowers bigger fees for lower rates.
So don’t expect mortgage
rates to keep falling in lock-step with the rest of the market.
They could push lower, but
they’re just as likely to stay stagnant. And sooner or later, they’re bound to
rise again.
Verify your new rate (Jan 30th, 2021)
Historical perspective: Banner years for mortgage interest rates
The long-term average for mortgage rates is about 8%. That’s according to Freddie Mac records going back to 1971.
But mortgage rates can move
a lot from year to year — even from day to day. And some years have seen much
bigger moves than others.
Here’s a look at just a
few, to show how rates often buck conventional wisdom and move in unexpected
ways.
1981 — The all-time high
1981 was the worst year for mortgage interest rates on
record.
How bad is bad? The average
mortgage rate in 1981 was 16.63%.
- At 16.63% a $200,000
mortgage has a monthly cost for principal and interest of $2,800 - Compared with the long-time
average that’s an extra monthly cost of $1,300 or $15,900 per year
And that’s just the average – some people paid more.
For the week of Oct. 9, 1981, mortgage rates averaged 18.63%, the highest weekly rate on record, and almost five times the 2019 annual rate.
2008 — The slump
2008 was the final gasp of the mortgage meltdown.
Real estate financing was
available in 2008 for 6.03% according to Freddie Mac.
- The monthly cost for a
$200,000 mortgage was about $1,200 per month, not including taxes and insurance
Post 2008, rates declined
steadily.
2016 —An all-time low
2016 held the lowest annual
mortgage rate on record going back to 1971. Freddie Mac says the typical 2016
mortgage was priced at just 3.65%.
- A $200,000 mortgage at
3.65% has a monthly cost for principal and interest of $915 - That’s $553 a month less
than the long-term average
Mortgage rates had dropped lower in 2012, when one week in November
averaged 3.31%. But some of 2012 was higher, and the entire year averaged out
at 3.66% for a 30-year mortgage.
2019 — The surprise drop-off
In 2018, many economists
predicted that 2019 mortgage rates would top 5.5%. That turned out to be wrong.
In fact, rates dropped in 2019. The
average mortgage rate went from 4.54% in 2018 to 3.94% in 2019.
- At 3.94% the monthly cost for a $200,000 home loan was $948
- That’s a savings of $520 a month – or $6,240 a year – when
compared with the 8% long-term average
In 2019, it was thought
mortgage rates couldn’t go much lower. But 2020 proved that thinking wrong
again.
2021 — The lowest 30-year mortgage rates ever
Rates plummeted in 2020 in response
to the coronavirus pandemic.
By July 2020, the 30-year fixed rate fell below 3% for the first time — and it kept falling to a new record low (in January 2021) of 2.65% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
- At 2.65% the monthly cost for a $200,000 home loan is $806 a month not counting taxes and insurance
- You’d save $662 a month, or $7,900 a year — compared to the 8% long-term average
Due to the Federal Reserve’s promise of low interest rates post-COVID, mortgage rates are expected to stay low for years.
But as we’ve seen in the past, predictions about mortgage
rates are often wrong.
That’s why when rates are good, experts recommend locking one in instead of waiting for potentially lower rates in weeks or months.
Factors that affect your mortgage
interest rate
For the
average homebuyer, tracking mortgage rates helps reveal trends. But not every
borrower will benefit equally from today’s low mortgage rates.
Home
loans are personalized to the borrower. Your credit score, down payment, loan
type, loan term, and loan amount will affect your mortgage or refinance rate.
It’s
also possible to negotiate mortgage rates. Discount points can provide a lower
interest rate in exchange for paying cash upfront.
Let’s
look at some of these factors individually:
Credit
Score
A credit
score above 620 will open more doors for lower interest rate loans, though some
loan programs such as USDA, FHA, and VA loans can be available to sub-600
borrowers.
If
possible, give yourself a few months or even a year to improve your credit
score before borrowing. You could save thousands of dollars through the life of
the loan.
Down
Payment
Higher
down payments can shave your borrowing rate.
Most
mortgages, including FHA loans, require at least 3% or 3.5% down. And VA
loans and USDA loans are available with 0% down payment.
But if
you can put 10%, 15%, or even 20% down, you might qualify for a conventional
loan with low or no mortgage insurance and seriously reduce your housing costs.
Loan
Type
The type
of mortgage loan you use will affect you interest rate. However, your loan type
hinges on your credit score. So these two factors are very intertwined.
For
example, with a credit score of 580 you may qualify only for a subsidized loan
such as an FHA mortgage. FHA loans have low interest rates, but come with
mortgage insurance no matter how much money you put down.
A credit
score of 620 or higher might qualify you for a conventional loan, and —
depending on your down payment and other factors — potentially a lower rate.
Adjustable-rate mortgages traditionally offer lower introductory interest rates compared to a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. However, those rates are subject to change after the initial fixed-rate period.
So an
initially lower ARM rate could rise substantially after 5, 7, or 10 years.
Loan
Term
In this
post we’ve tracked rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, but 15-year
fixed-rate mortgages tend to have even lower borrowing rates.
With a
15-year mortgage, you’d have a higher monthly payment because of the shorter
loan term. But throughout the life of the loan you’d save a lot in interest
charges.
At a 3% interest
rate for a $200,000 home loan, you’d pay $103,000 in interest charges with a
30-year mortgage paid off on schedule. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage would cost
only about $49,000 in interest.
Loan
Amount
Rates on
unusually small mortgages — a $50,000 home loan, for example — tend to be
higher than average rates because these loans are less profitable to the lender.
Rates on
a jumbo mortgage loan tend to be higher, too, because lenders have a higher
risk of loss. Jumbo loans help shoppers buy high-value real estate.
Discount
Points
A
discount point can lower interest rates by 0.25% in exchange for upfront cash.
A discount point costs 1% of the home loan amount.
For a
$200,000 loan, a discount point would cost $2,000 upfront. However, the
borrower would recoup the upfront cost over time thanks to the savings earned
by a lower interest rate.
Since
interest payments play out over time, a buyer who plans to sell the home or
refinance within a couple years should probably skip the discount points and
pay a higher interest rate for a while.
Some rate quotes assume the home buyer will buy discount points, so be sure to check before closing on the loan.
Understanding your monthly
mortgage payment
In this
article, we compare monthly payments for a $200,000 home loan at a variety of
interest rates.
Understand
that these examples show only principal and interest — the amount you’re paying
each month toward your loan balance and interest generated.
Overall, your monthly mortgage
payment will be higher than just principal and interest. That’s because there
are other costs bundled in, including:
- Property taxes —City and county governments levy annual property taxes to pay for public services. These taxes are usually prorated over 12 months and paid to your loan servicer along with your mortgage payment
- Homeowners insurance — Homeowners insurance premiums average about $1,000 a year. As with property taxes, homeowners insurance premiums can be spread out over 12 months and paid with your mortgage via an escrow account
- HOA fees — Condos, apartments, and gated communities may charge annual Homeowners Association fees which can be broken down into monthly payments added to the mortgage
- Mortgage insurance — FHA loans, USDA loans, and conventional loans with less than 20% down payment require the borrower to pay for mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance costs around 1% of the loan amount each year, although rates vary depending on the loan type and down payment. For a $200,000 loan that would equal $2,000 a year or $166 per month added to the mortgage payment
Collectively,
it’s not unusual for taxes, fees, and premiums to add several hundred dollars
to a monthly mortgage payment.
Closing costs affect the cost
of borrowing, too
Interest
rates have a huge impact on borrowing costs throughout the life of a mortgage
loan, but it’s important not to forget the cost of upfront fees, too.
Closing costs typically add anywhere from 2% to 5% of your loan amount. Closing costs include loan origination fees, discount points, legal fees, appraisal fees, title fees, and more.
Many
first time home buyers don’t know they can negotiate some closing costs such as
the lender’s origination fee. However, many costs are pre-set by third parties
such as attorneys and appraisers.
In some
mortgage markets the home seller will help with closing costs. But it’s up to
the buyer to negotiate this part of the transaction. A Realtor can help.
When
choosing a mortgage, home buyers and refinancers should always consider closing
costs along with interest rates.
Determine your buying power with
a mortgage calculator
The
charts and graphs on this page show the way 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have
changed over time and continue to change.
To see how today’s mortgage rates affect your borrowing power, use our mortgage calculator that includes PMI and other added costs.
Today’s
historically low interest rates have increased buying power by lowering monthly
payments for borrowers throughout the spectrum.
When to lock your mortgage rate
Keep an eye on daily rate
changes. But if you get a good mortgage rate quote today, don’t hesitate to
lock it in.
Remember, if you can secure
a 30-year mortgage rate below
3% or 4%, you’re paying less than half as much as most American
homebuyers in recent history. That’s not a bad deal.
Verify your new rate (Jan 30th, 2021)
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Source: themortgagereports.com