Rates, without the sales pitch
What the market is doing, what actually moves it, and how to read the numbers you see online — explained by two people who lock rates for a living.
Where the market sits
National benchmark averages, updated daily from real locked rates. Utah loans price off the same market.
| Loan type | Benchmark avg. | As of | Learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-year fixed (conforming) | 6.65% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
| 15-year fixed (conforming) | 5.95% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
| 30-year fixed FHA | 6.43% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
| 30-year fixed VA | 6.25% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
| 30-year fixed USDA | 6.44% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
| 30-year fixed jumbo | 6.69% | Jul 30, 2026 | About this program |
Freddie Mac weekly benchmark (30-year fixed)
6.66% as of Jul 30, 2026
52-week trend
These figures are published market averages — not a quote, an offer of credit, or a commitment to lend, and not personalized to you. Your rate depends on your credit profile, loan type, points, property, and other factors.
Sources: Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices™; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey®. Retrieved from FRED®, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. FRED and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis do not endorse or certify this site.
What moves mortgage rates
Mortgage rates are set by markets, not by any single lender — and they move for reasons you can actually follow.
The bond market leads
Most 30-year mortgages are bundled into mortgage-backed securities that trade like bonds. When investors demand higher yields — usually on inflation news — mortgage rates follow within days.
The Fed influences, indirectly
The Federal Reserve sets a short-term bank rate, not mortgage rates. Mortgage rates often move on what markets expect the Fed to do — sometimes before any announcement, sometimes in the opposite direction of one.
Your file sets the final number
Credit score, down payment, loan size, property type, and points all price into the rate you are actually offered. That is why two neighbors can close in the same week with different rates — and why averages are context, not promises.
Rate vs. APR — and what points really buy
Rate vs. APR
The rate prices your monthly payment. The APR folds most lender fees into a single comparison number — so a low rate with heavy fees can carry a higher APR than a slightly higher rate with none. Compare both, from the same day, on a Loan Estimate.
Discount points
A point costs 1% of the loan amount and buys a lower rate. Whether that trade earns its keep depends on how long you keep the loan — the break-even math is exactly what our payment calculator and refinance calculator are for.
Rate questions, answered straight
Should I wait for rates to drop before buying a house?
When should I lock my mortgage rate?
Why is the rate I am quoted different from the averages published online?
Will mortgage rates go back to 3%?
Who has the best mortgage rates in Utah?
Want numbers that are actually yours?
Benchmarks tell you about the market. A short conversation tells you about your loan — no obligation, no pressure, and you keep the comparison shopping we just encouraged.