If you look at the biggest industry forecasts, analysts predict that mortgage rates will either hold steady or drop slightly in the near term. Fannie Mae currently predicts that the average 30-year mortgage rate will end the first quarter at around 6.7%, while the Mortgage Bankers Association predicts a much higher 7%.

The current average mortgage rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.87%, compared to 6.84% a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Research Center. For borrowers who want a shorter mortgage, the average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage is 5.

See current 30-year refinance rates and how they've been trending. Find the lowest rates to save on your mortgage, lower your payments, or access home equity.

Mortgage interest rates slipped lower over the past week, settling at the lowest level of 2025, but remaining elevated enough to stifle normal levels of buying and selling in the housing market.

According to the latest data from Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the average 15-year fixed mortgage rate is currently around 6.00%. That’s nearly a full percentage point lower than the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, which is sitting in the upper 6.00% range.

For his part, Lewis says mortgage rates are poised to drop in February, after climbing above 7% in January. “The direction of consumer prices will have the strongest effect on mortgage rates in February. The core inflation rate should decline further, giving bond yields and mortgage rates room to fall, but not by a lot,” says Lewis.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the third week in a row, a smidgen of relief for prospective home shoppers getting into the market before the busy spring homebuying season starts.

Refi rates have ticked down, lowering the 30-year rate average after two days of inching up. Rates for several other refi loan types also dropped Monday.