Mortgage rates are not expected to move much for the remainder of 2025. Fannie Mae estimating that 30-year mortgage rates will average 6.8%.

Your down payment is the amount of money you contribute to your home purchase upfront. Each type of home loan comes with a minimum down payment, usually ranging from zero to 5%, but a higher down payment means a cheaper interest rate. That's because the lender takes on less risk when you contribute more toward the loan.

A roundup of quarterly mortgage rate forecasts shows that most forecasters still expect mortgage rates to gradually decrease over the next 18 months. Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox?

Since rates vary widely across lenders, it's always smart to shop around for your best mortgage rate and compare rates regularly, no matter the type of home loan you seek. For a second consecutive day,