By thinking through the answers to some mortgage rate questions now, buyers can better determine their next steps.
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Most homebuyers and homeowners hoping to refinance are well aware that mortgage interest rates are far from the lows that were readily available in 2020 and 2021. What some buyers and owners may not realize, however, is that mortgage interest rates have been incrementally declining for much of 2025. After starting in January at over 7%, the average mortgage interest rate on a 30-year term has been parked around 5.99% over the past week, opening new windows of opportunity for buyers otherwise sidelined in the high-interest-rate climate of recent years.
And that decline in the mortgage interest rate space may continue this week, especially if the Federal Reserve issues an interest rate cut as expected at the conclusion of its meeting on Wednesday. But this doesn't mean that the hunt for lower mortgage interest rates is now concluded. Instead, a cooler interest rate climate raises new, important mortgage rate questions that should be thoroughly thought through to better exploit these new, timely opportunities. Below, we'll break down three specific questions worth contemplating after this week's Fed rate cut.
Start by seeing how low your current mortgage rate offers are here.
3 important mortgage rate questions to ask after this week's Fed rate cut
The following three questions aren't the only ones worth thinking through this week, but they're three of the most important to better inform your next steps (or lack thereof):
Has your homebuying budget changed?
Even if the amount of money you had to purchase a home has remained constant, your homebuying budget this year may have changed thanks to today's new, lower rates. A $500,000 mortgage payment at a 7% rate isn't the same each month as a $500,000 mortgage at a 6% rate. And thanks to that differential, you may be able to purchase a slightly more expensive home than you would have at this point in 2024.
That doesn't mean you should, necessarily. But it does mean that you're probably overdue to recalculate your potential costs again. You may be surprised at the opportunities you now have, even with an average rate just one percentage point lower. So start thinking about this now, while lower rates are readily available again.
Compare your top mortgage rate options online today.
How much better a rate would you get by waiting?
With the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates three times in the final four months of 2025, and mortgage rates generally responding in a downward fashion, it's understandably tempting to wait for an even better rate to materialize. But that's far from a guarantee. Don't forget what happened to mortgage rates after they plunged to a 2-year low in September 2024 and a 3-year low in September 2025 – they ticked up in the weeks after. That dynamic can certainly be repeated again now. In other words, if you can afford to "date the rate and marry the home," or secure today's rate and buy anyway, consider doing so. No one knows where rates are headed long-term but the dream home listed on the market right now may never reappear again.
Is it worth buying in the winter?
The traditional homebuying season is in the spring … not during the holidays or winter months. But this mortgage rate climate is far from traditional. And if you can afford to act now, with today's available rates, it may make sense to do so anyway, even if that means visiting open houses during less-than-ideal weather.
Don't forget the potential downsides of additional rate reductions in 2026, which could complicate the homebuying process. Increased competition for still-scarce inventory could cause home prices to rise at the same time rates are falling. But if you take a bit of an unconventional approach and start exploring your mortgage rate options and house hunting now, you may give yourself an advantage over the competition.
The bottom line
A decline in the mortgage interest rate environment, after multiple years in which rates were so high that many homebuyers had to sit on the sidelines, should now be utilized as strategically and smartly as possible. By truly thinking through the answers to the above three questions, homeowners can be both better informed and more prepared to make the right decision for their finances. With a home purchase being one of the biggest (if not the biggest) financial decisions they'll ever make, it's critical to get these answers right now.
Edited by Angelica Leicht
