The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged lower this week, staying relatively close to its low for the year

The latest Fed rate cut has pulled mortgage rates down further from this year's highs, improving affordability.

Mortgage rates moved higher after the Fed cut interest rates last week. That caused demand to drop for both home buying and refinancing.

Learn what credit criteria are, how they influence loan approvals, and tips to improve your creditworthiness for better lending terms and approval odds.

Locking in one of today's lower mortgage rates may make sense, experts say, but there are some items to know first.

There's good and bad news for home shoppers hoping for lower mortgage rates in 2026 — they're likely to fall more in the new year but shouldn't drop much below 6.0%, if they reach that. But the decrease may help you afford a home .

∎Mortgage forbearance: Forbearance means putting your loan on hold. You’ll still pay interest, but your monthly payment will be lower. How long the forbearance lasts depends on your finances and your mortgage servicer.

To clean a microwave quickly, Amber Elise, owner of Bubbles and Buckets in Otsego, Minnesota, suggests popping in a bowl filled with water and lemon juice or some vinegar to boil. “After about five minutes of just sitting in there, everything just wipes out super easily,” Elise said.

Federal officials and banks dealing with the subprime mortgage mess helped create the “zombie” mortgages crisis

With the average savings account paying 0.40%, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), it might feel a little bleak for savers. However, high-yield savings accounts still offer a way to get a little more yield.