How to Get the Best Mortgage Rate

You can get the best mortgage rate by knowing what lenders are looking for, shopping around and paying aggressively upfront.

Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of NerdWallet, but this does not influence our evaluations, lender star ratings or the order in which lenders are listed on the page. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners.

Written by

Lead Writer & Content Strategist

+ more

Edited by

Contributing Editor

+ more

Co-written by

Contributing Writer

+ more

After the home's sticker price, your interest rate is the biggest influence on your monthly mortgage payments. With a higher rate, interest takes up a larger share of your monthly housing budget, and it might also affect the price range that you can comfortably shop.

Though it can feel like you’re at the mercy of lenders and the market, there are steps you can take to improve the rates you’re offered, potentially saving thousands of dollars and growing your homebuying budget.

Here are seven smart strategies to lower your monthly mortgage cost.

Video preview image

1. Strengthen your financial profile

The best mortgage rates are typically reserved for borrowers with the best credit scores, so you’ll want to know where your credit score will stand with lenders. FICO scores in the highest range (740-850) are considered “very good” to "exceptional," while scores in the 670-739 range are “good,” scores in the 580-669 range are “fair,” and scores below 580 are "very poor.”

A rival platform, VantageScore, uses different ranges, where 781-850 is considered "superprime," 661-780 is "prime," 601-660 is "near prime" and 300-600 is "subprime."

FICO scores range from 300 to 850. A score under 580 is considered very poor; 580 to 669 is fair, 670 to 739 is good, 740 to 799 is very good, and 800 to 850 is exceptional. VantageScore ranges from 300 to 850, with 300 to 600 considered subprime, 601 to 660 near prime, 661 to 780 prime, and 781 to 850 superprime.

FICO scores range from 300 to 850. A score under 580 is considered very poor; 580 to 669 is fair, 670 to 739 is good, 740 to 799 is very good, and 800 to 850 is exceptional. VantageScore ranges from 300 to 850, with 300 to 600 considered subprime, 601 to 660 near prime, 661 to 780 prime, and 781 to 850 superprime.

You can grow your credit score by paying your bills on time, reducing your debt and maintaining low credit balances. Keep your cards open to prevent your utilization from going up. You’ll also want to pay off any debts that have gone to collections.

NerdWallet recommends that you request free credit reports from the three major credit reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) and dispute any errors that might be suppressing your credit score. You can access these reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.

🤓Nerdy Tip

If your credit score is in the “fair” or “poor” range, you might consider applying with lenders in NerdWallet’s list of the best home loans for bad credit.

In addition to your credit score, lenders will also consider your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). This is the percentage of your gross monthly income that goes toward paying your debts. This number does not include nondebt expenses, such as groceries or utilities.

Lenders typically want this number to be no higher than 36% — the lower, the better. Paying down credit card debt will also improve your debt-to-income ratio. You can find this number using NerdWallet’s DTI calculator.

» MORE: What credit score do you need to buy a house?

Mortgage loans from our partners

on NBKC

NBKC

4.5

NerdWallet rating

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%

on NBKC

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.0

NerdWallet rating

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

N/A

Min. down payment

0%

on New American Funding

on GO Mortgage

GO Mortgage

4.0

NerdWallet rating

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%

on GO Mortgage

COMPARE MORE LENDERS

Mortgage loans from our partners

on NBKC

NBKC

4.5

NerdWallet rating

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%

on NBKC

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.0

NerdWallet rating

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

N/A

Min. down payment

0%

on New American Funding

on GO Mortgage

GO Mortgage

4.0

NerdWallet rating

4.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

3%

on GO Mortgage

on Rocket Mortgage

Rocket Mortgage

4.5

NerdWallet rating

4.5

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

580

Min. down payment

3.5%

on Rocket Mortgage

on Veterans United

Veterans United

5.0

NerdWallet rating

5.0

NerdWallet rating

Min. credit score

620

Min. down payment

0%

on Veterans United

COMPARE MORE LENDERS

2. Make a larger down payment

Being able to put a larger amount down on a house will lower your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and generally also your mortgage rate. For example, if you make a 20% down payment, your LTV is 80%.

Conventional mortgage borrowers who put down less than 20% are also required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI), an additional monthly expense. When looking at lender rates online, be aware that the advertised rate often assumes that the borrower is putting down 20% or more.

» MORE: Have you saved enough? Try our down payment calculator

3. Consider paying points

Discount points are fees borrowers pay to reduce the interest rate on their mortgages. One point costs 1% of the loan amount, which typically reduces the mortgage rate by 0.25%, although the reduction can vary.

When you pay discount points, you typically shell out thousands of dollars upfront to save a few dollars every month. You’ll likely have to pay at least three or four discount points to save more than $100 each month. It takes several years for your total savings to exceed the initial amount paid. This break-even period varies depending on the loan amount, the cost of the points and the interest rate.

You can calculate the potential savings of paying points and find the break-even period using NerdWallet’s mortgage points calculator. If the break-even period exceeds the amount of time you plan to be in the home, then buying points probably isn’t worth it.

For example, if you pay $3,000 for one discount point on a $300,000 mortgage, you could bring your mortgage rate down from 6.75% to 6.5%. This would result in monthly savings of $50, with a break-even period of five years to recoup the cost of the point.

4. Take advantage of first-time home buyer programs

Before you settle on a mortgage, find out whether you’re eligible for any special programs that make homebuying less costly. Many states offer help to first-time home buyers as well as repeat buyers.

Each state offers its own mix of programs, often including down payment assistance, combined with favorable interest rates and tax breaks. Some programs are targeted geographically, and others offer help to home buyers in certain professions, such as teachers, first responders and veterans.

» MORE: Find first-time home buyer programs in your state

5. Shop around with multiple lenders

You probably wouldn’t commit to buying the first home you tour, right? You’d shop around until you found one that fits your needs and budget. The same philosophy can be applied to finding a lender.

If you have an existing relationship with a lender, they can be a great place to start, especially if they offer discounts to current customers. However, applying for preapproval with a few lenders gives you an opportunity to compare offers and see which is offering the lowest rate.

You could also use a mortgage broker, who would gather mortgage rate quotes on your behalf and find you the lowest offer.

» MORE: See NerdWallet’s picks for the best mortgage lenders

6. Explore alternative types of mortgages

Though 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are popular among home buyers, other types of mortgages can come with lower rates.

Adjustable rate mortgages: Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) can have an introductory fixed rate below market for a certain number of years before changing at a regular cadence, usually every six months. ARMs can be risky because you’ll have to pay more if rates rise, but they can be a strategic choice if you plan to sell before the fixed period ends.
Shorter-term loans: Loans with shorter loan terms, like 15-year mortgages, often have lower interest rates than 30-year mortgages. Your monthly payments will be higher due to the shorter loan period, but you’ll save on the overall loan because you’ll be making fewer interest payments.
FHA loans: Loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) can also have lower rates than conventional mortgages as well as more flexible qualification requirements. However, you'll have to pay an upfront insurance fee, plus a monthly insurance premium (MIP). If you can make a down payment of 10% or more, you can cancel the MIP after 11 years. If you put down less than 10% you must pay it for the life of the loan or until you refinance.
Seller financing: Sometimes a seller may be willing to finance the mortgage at a lower rate than mortgage lenders are offering. Your down payment goes directly to the seller who continues to be the legal owner as you make regular payments over a predetermined period. After you pay off the home, you take over the title. Seller financing can be complicated, so you’d need to hire an experienced real estate attorney.

» MORE: Types of mortgages for buyers and refinancers

Video preview image

7. Include a new construction home in your search

You might consider buying a new construction home, as homebuilders often offer below-market interest rates to entice buyers.

According to Realtor.com’s New Construction Report released in May 2025, the average mortgage rate for new-construction home buyers was half a point lower than the average rate for buyers of pre-existing homes.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to get a 4% mortgage rate?

The average rate for a 30-year conventional mortgage has remained above 6% since September 2022, meaning that a rate offer anywhere near 4% would be significantly below market. However, if you’re willing to lower your budget to make more aggressive monthly payments, you could opt for a shorter loan term, which comes with a lower rate.

For instance, say you’re thinking of buying a $350,000 house with a 10% down payment at a rate of 6.75% for 30 years, with a monthly payment of $2,953. You could also consider purchasing a $280,000 home and taking out a 15-year mortgage with a 10% down payment at a rate of 6.5% for a monthly payment of $2,923. For nearly the same monthly payment, the combined lower rate and smaller total mortgage would enable you to pay off your home in half the time.

Will mortgage rates fall in 2026?

Maybe. This depends on market conditions and other factors that are nearly impossible to predict more than a few weeks out. Rather than trying to time the market, you’re better off focusing on elements within your control that affect your rate offers — namely, lowering your existing debts and bolstering your credit score and down payment savings.

How do I ask my lender for a better rate?

Applying to multiple lenders will allow you to find the lowest rate offer, and it can give you negotiating power if you have a preferred lender. Additionally, you can ask your lender whether you qualify for any rate discounts.

How much house can you afford?

Understanding how much you can afford is a great first step to buying a home. NerdWallet helps you easily determine your home buying budget with our home affordability calculator.

Calculate Home Affordability

More like this

How to Move in 2026