Explore how the prime rate influences consumer loans like mortgages, versus the repo rate's role in managing the money supply and short-term lending among banks.

The mortgage interest rate climate has changed. Here's what a good rate is considered to be at the start of 2026.

Everything Americans thought they knew about personal finance was upended when the Federal Reserve started aggressively hiking interest rates to cool post-pandemic inflation. After more than a decade of ultralow rates,

Looking ahead to 2026, the Fed’s own median projection or “dot plot” suggested there would be only one additional 25 basis points cut. This would move the rate to around 3.25% to 3.50% by year end. Market expectations are slightly more dovish, calling for two rate cuts, which would push rates closer to 3%.

Discover what a factor rate is and how to calculate it.

If you're planning to borrow from your home's equity, it's important to know what could be coming for rates soon.

Mortgage rates are the interest rates charged by the mortgage holder, typically a bank, to the borrower, typically a homeowner. Mortgage rates have a significant impact on home prices, monthly mortgage payments, and the health of the overall housing market.

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"Mortgage interest rates went down before the Fed cut rates in September but went up after," says Ali Wolf, chief economist at NewHomeSource. "This is because the Fed is cutting the federal funds rate, which is a short-term interest rate. Mortgage interest rates, on the other hand, are influenced by investors and the yield on the 10-year Treasury."

Angelica Leicht is a seasoned personal finance writer and editor with nearly two decades of experience but just one goal: to help readers make the best decisions for their wallets. Her expertise spans a wide range of financial topics, from the tools..

The average long-term mortgage rate rose to 6.16%, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s up slightly from 6.15% last week, when the average rate dropped to its lowest level since October 3, 2024. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.93%.