Today's Mortgage Rates -- February 18, 2022: Most Rates Drop Slightly While 30-Year Loan Rises
Mortgage rates fluctuate from day to day. Here's where they're sitting now.
Mortgage rates dropped today for most loan products, but the 30-year rate rose slightly. Here's what rates look like on Feb. 18, 2022:
Mortgage Type | Today's Interest Rate |
---|---|
30-year fixed mortgage | 4.152% |
20-year fixed mortgage | 3.791% |
15-year fixed mortgage | 3.345% |
5/1 ARM | 3.327% |
30-year mortgage rates
The average 30-year mortgage rate today is 4.152%, up 0.017% from yesterday. At today's rate, you'll pay principal and interest of $486.00 for every $100,000 you borrow. That doesn't include added expenses like property taxes and homeowners insurance premiums.
20-year mortgage rates
The average 20-year mortgage rate today is 3.791%, down 0.003% from yesterday. At today's rate, you'll pay principal and interest of $595.00 for every $100,000 you borrow. Though your monthly payment will go up by $109.00 with a 20-year, $100,000 loan versus a 30-year loan of the same amount, you'll save $32,221.00 in interest over the course of your repayment period for every $100,000 you borrow.
15-year mortgage rates
The average 15-year mortgage rate today is 3.345%, down 0.002% from yesterday. At today's rate, you'll pay principal and interest of $707.00 for every $100,000 you borrow. Compared to the 30-year loan, your monthly payment will be $221.00 higher per $100,000 in mortgage principal. Your interest savings, however, will amount to $47,699.00 over the life of your repayment period per $100,000 of mortgage debt.
5/1 ARMs
The average 5/1 ARM rate is 3.327%, down 0.010% from yesterday. As you can see, with a 5/1 ARM, you'll get a much lower interest rate on your mortgage than you will with a 20- or 30-year loan. But after five years, the rate on your ARM could rise, making your monthly payments more expensive. With a fixed-rate loan, you get the stability of your rate never changing (unless you refinance).
Should I lock in my mortgage rate now?
A mortgage rate lock guarantees you a specific interest rate for a certain period of time -- usually 30 days, but you may be able to secure your rate for up to 60 days. You'll generally pay a fee to lock in your mortgage rate, but that way, you're protected if rates climb between now and when you close on your home loan.
If you plan to close on your home within the next 30 days, then it pays to lock in your mortgage rate based on today's rates -- especially since they're pretty attractive, historically speaking. But if your closing is more than 30 days away, you may want to choose a floating rate lock instead for what will usually be a higher fee, but one that could save you money in the long run. A floating rate lock lets you secure a lower rate on your loan if rates fall before you close on your mortgage. While today's rates are somewhat low, we don't know if rates will go up or down over the next few months. As such, it pays to:
- LOCK if closing in 7 days
- LOCK if closing in 15 days
- LOCK if closing in 30 days
- FLOAT if closing in 45 days
- FLOAT if closing in 60 days
If you're ready to become a homeowner, shop around with different mortgage lenders to see what rates they have available. The higher your credit score, the more likely you'll be to snag a competitive interest rate on a home loan today.
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