Mortgage Rates Today, December 6, 2025: 30‑Year Fixed Near 6% as Refi Deals Resurface

After a choppy year for housing, U.S. mortgage rates are sliding back toward their lows of 2025 — and that’s breathing new life into both home-purchase and refinance activity.

Freddie Mac’s latest weekly survey pegs the average 30‑year fixed mortgage at 6.19%, down from 6.23% last week and roughly half a percentage point below this time in 2024. ^[1] Real‑time trackers show today’s national averages hovering just above 6%, while some lenders are now advertising 30‑year rates in the mid‑5% range for top‑tier borrowers. ^[2]

Below is a detailed look at where mortgage and refinance rates stand on Saturday, December 6, 2025, what’s driving the drop, and what it means if you’re thinking about buying or refinancing.

Key takeaways for December 6, 2025

Freddie Mac benchmark: The average 30‑year fixed rate is 6.19%, with 15‑year loans at 5.44%, as of the week ending December 4. That’s the second straight weekly decline and about 0.50 percentage points lower than a year ago. ^[3]
Daily national averages: NerdWallet’s rate tracker shows a 30‑year fixed APR around 6.12%, a 15‑year fixed near 5.56%, and 5‑year ARMs around 6.72% early this morning. ^[4]
Lender examples today: A Georgia‑based broker (Moreira Team) is posting conventional 30‑year fixed options from roughly 5.625% to 6.375%, depending on points, while Rocket is advertising a 30‑year fixed near 6.375% and VA and jumbo options in the high‑5s. ^[5]
Demand is shifting: MBA’s latest weekly survey shows total applications down 1.4% from the prior week, but refinance activity still 109% higher than a year ago, and purchase demand at its strongest level since early 2023. ^[6]
2026 outlook: Real estate economists describe 2026 as a “reset, not a rebound” year, with most forecasts keeping 30‑year mortgage rates a bit above 6%, even after additional Federal Reserve rate cuts. ^[7]

Average U.S. mortgage rates heading into the weekend

Freddie Mac benchmark dips toward yearly lows

Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) remains the clearest benchmark for broad U.S. mortgage rate trends. For the week of December 4, 2025: ^[8]

30‑year fixed: 6.19% (down from 6.23% the previous week; 6.69% a year ago)
15‑year fixed: 5.44% (down from 5.51% the previous week; 5.96% a year ago)

An Associated Press/ABC News report notes this is near the lowest level of the year, and the second consecutive weekly decline after a brief run‑up in October. ^[9]

The same report highlights that these levels are easing — but not erasing — the affordability squeeze that has built up after several years of rapid home‑price growth and elevated borrowing costs. ^[10]

Real‑time rate trackers for December 6, 2025

While Freddie Mac’s survey averages rates over a week, daily trackers show where the market is right now:

NerdWallet / Zillow national averages (as of ~3:10 a.m. EST)
- ~6.12% APR for a 30‑year fixed
- ~5.56% APR for a 15‑year fixed
- ~6.72% APR for a 5‑year ARM ^[11]
Money.com’s daily survey (December 5 update)
- Average 30‑year fixed rate around 6.39%, up slightly day‑over‑day, with Money reiterating that well‑qualified borrowers can still find “competitive” deals near or below national averages. ^[12]
MBA contract rates (applications survey)
- 30‑year fixed: roughly 6.32%
- 15‑year fixed: about 5.73%
- FHA: about 6.12%
- 5/1 ARM: near 5.40% ^[13]

Because these sources use different methodologies — some survey lenders directly, others scrape live quotes or analyze loan applications — slight differences are normal. Together, they paint a coherent picture:

As of December 6, most U.S. borrowers are seeing 30‑year fixed offers in roughly the low‑ to mid‑6% range, with shorter terms about half a point lower and ARMs only modestly cheaper than fixed loans.

Refinance rates: What the latest data and Fortune’s refi series suggest

Fortune runs a daily “Current refi mortgage rates” report, separate from its standard mortgage‑rate roundup, tracking refinance offers on 30‑year, 15‑year and adjustable‑rate loans. ^[14] The December 1–5 editions align with what other national surveys show:

Refinance quotes on 30‑year fixed loans are typically very close to — or slightly above — purchase rates.
15‑year refi offers tend to come in about 0.5–0.75 percentage points lower than 30‑year refis for the same borrower profile. ^[15]

Live lender data backs that up:

Moreira Team (broker, Georgia) lists 30‑year conventional refi/purchase options today from about 5.625% (with roughly 1.9 points) to 6.375% (with a lender credit), and 15‑year options starting near 5.00% with higher points. ^[16]
Government‑backed refi programs (FHA, VA, USDA) on that same sheet cluster mostly in the mid‑5% to mid‑6% range depending on points and loan type. ^[17]

In practice, this means many homeowners who took out loans at 7% or higher during the 2023–early‑2024 spike may now be looking at refi opportunities that could cut three‑quarters of a percentage point or more off their rate — especially if their credit profile has improved.

The refinance “wait and see” attitude

Despite year‑over‑year gains, refi activity isn’t exploding yet. MBA data show: ^[18]

Overall mortgage applications fell 1.4% week‑over‑week (holiday‑adjusted).
The Refinance Index slipped 4% versus the prior week, but remains 109% higher than the same week last year.
Refis still account for just over half of all applications (about 53%), with many borrowers waiting for even lower rates.

That pattern fits what both Yahoo Finance and Fortune have been flagging: refinance shoppers are becoming more active as rates fall, but a large group is clearly “holding out” for sub‑6% deals before jumping in. ^[19]

Where are the best mortgage rates right now?

Yahoo Finance’s “rates lower again” lender roundup

Yahoo Finance’s weekly feature, “Rates lower again: Mortgage lenders with the best rates this week” spotlights lenders offering the most aggressive advertised deals. The December 1, 2025 edition highlights that rates have moved down again and that a handful of national lenders are posting 30‑year fixed quotes very close to (and in some cases under) 6% for well‑qualified borrowers. ^[20]

The piece underscores three key themes that are still true today:

Online lenders and brokers often post the lowest headline rates.
Those eye‑catching rates almost always assume excellent credit, a sizable down payment and sometimes discount points.
The “best” lender can vary by borrower profile — which is why it’s critical to compare multiple quotes. ^[21]

Live examples from lender rate sheets

1. Broker sample: Moreira Team (Atlanta‑based, multi‑lender broker) ^[22]

Conventional 30‑year fixed (purchase/refi):
- ~5.625% rate, ~5.82% APR with ~1.855 points
- ~5.99% rate, ~6.07% APR with ~0.56 points
- ~6.25% rate, ~6.28% APR with near‑zero points
- ~6.375% rate, ~6.40% APR with a lender credit
Conventional 15‑year fixed:
- Rates from about 5.00% to 5.875%, depending on points and fees.
VA, FHA, USDA and jumbo options span roughly 5.375% to the mid‑6% range, again with a trade‑off between upfront points and ongoing rate.

2. Large national lender: Rocket

Rocket’s rate‑update page for early December 6 shows sample purchase rates around: ^[23]

30‑year fixed: ~6.375%
30‑year VA: ~5.875%
30‑year FHA: around the high‑5% range
30‑year jumbo: roughly 5.75%

3. Aggregator snapshot: NerdWallet table

NerdWallet’s national rate table (powered by Zillow) shows a 30‑year fixed APR of 6.12%, with individual advertising partners quoting: ^[24]

APRs in the high‑5% range for the most competitive offers (e.g., ~5.9% APR, ~5.75% nominal rate)
A broader cluster of lenders between about 6.2% and 6.4% APR

These examples mirror the theme of Yahoo’s “best lenders” roundup: there is real pricing power in shopping around, especially if you have good (720+) credit, strong income and a 20% down payment.

What recent data says about buyer and refi demand

MBA’s latest weekly survey, summarized by Mortgage News Daily, shows a market that’s cautious but clearly waking up: ^[25]

Total applications: down 1.4% week‑over‑week (seasonally adjusted), largely due to Thanksgiving distortions.
Refinance Index: down 4% on the week but more than double last year’s level.
Purchase applications:up 3% on a seasonally adjusted basis, and roughly 17% higher than a year ago, pushing purchase demand to its strongest reading since early 2023.
ARM share: around 8% of total applications, reflecting only modest appetite for adjustable‑rate products at today’s spreads.

MBA’s economist Joel Kan attributes the improvement to lower mortgage rates and easing home‑price growth, even as the broader economic outlook looks “cloudy” with a softening labor market and uneven consumer confidence. ^[26]

Why rates are falling: Fed expectations, inflation and the job market

The 10‑year Treasury and the Fed

Mortgage rates usually move in the same direction as the 10‑year U.S. Treasury yield, which lenders use as a baseline for long‑term borrowing costs. ABC’s report notes that even as the 10‑year yield hovered near 4.1% this week, mortgage rates continued to drift lower — a sign markets are increasingly confident about further Federal Reserve easing. ^[27]

Key points from the macro backdrop:

The Fed already cut its policy rate in September and again in October 2025, the first reductions after its aggressive hiking cycle. ^[28]
Markets and forecasters widely expect another 25‑basis‑point cut at the Fed’s December 10 meeting, barring a surprise from inflation or jobs data. ^[29]
A Goldman Sachs research note this week calls a December cut “likely,” but expects the Fed to slow the pace of easing in 2026, projecting a terminal fed‑funds rate around 3–3.25% by mid‑year (down from roughly 3.75–4% now). ^[30]

This combination — cooling inflation, a softer labor market and anticipated Fed cuts — has nudged mortgage investors to accept slightly lower yields, which shows up as lower rates for borrowers.

Why rates probably won’t crash back to 3–4%

Real estate economists interviewed by Real Estate News argue that, even with more Fed cuts, 30‑year mortgage rates are likely to stay above 6% on average in 2026: ^[31]

Bright MLS expects 30‑year rates around 6.15% by the end of 2026.
Redfin and Realtor.com project an average near 6.3% for the year (down from ~6.6% in 2025).
NAR is more optimistic, suggesting rates could get close to 6%, while Zillow doubts they’ll break much below that level.

Their consensus: 2026 will be a “reset” year, not a full‑fledged rebound. Rates should be lower than 2025’s peaks, but the ultra‑low 3% mortgages of 2020–2021 are unlikely to return without a much deeper economic downturn. ^[32]

Will mortgage rates go below 6% — and should you wait?

Bankrate’s rate‑forecast coverage suggests that, for the rest of December, most experts see mortgage rates holding in roughly the 6.2–6.4% band, with a bias toward modest declines if incoming inflation data cooperates. ^[33]

Combined with other forecasts, a reasonable base‑case looks like this:

Short term (next few weeks):
- Rates could move up or down by a couple of tenths of a point as markets digest Fed messaging and economic data.
Medium term (through 2026):
- A gradual drift lower is more likely than a sharp drop, with many forecasts clustering around a 6.0–6.3% average for 30‑year loans. ^[34]

Because of that, the classic “lock vs. float” decision is back in focus:

If you have a contract on a home and a payment you can comfortably afford at today’s rate, locking can protect you from short‑term volatility — even if rates later drift a bit lower.
If you’re flexible on timing and would struggle with higher payments, you may accept the risk of floating a bit longer to try to capture a dip, understanding there’s no guarantee.

Either way, remember that you can always refinance later if rates move meaningfully lower — but refinances come with closing costs and require qualifying again based on income, credit and home equity.

How to shop smart for a mortgage in December 2025

Regardless of whether you’re buying or refinancing, a disciplined shopping strategy matters more than ever:

Know your credit profile
- Pull your credit reports and scores before applying. Better scores (often 740+) generally unlock better pricing and smaller add‑ons for risk.
Get multiple quotes on the same day
- Freddie Mac’s research (summarized by NerdWallet) suggests that comparing at least two lenders can save borrowers hundreds of dollars a year — and comparing four or more can save up to around $1,200 annually. ^[35]
Compare APRs, not just rates
- APR wraps together the interest rate and many of the fees you’ll pay at closing. If one 5.75% offer comes with heavy points and another 6.00% quote has minimal fees, the higher rate could actually be cheaper over the period you expect to keep the loan. ^[36]
Understand points vs. credits
- Paying discount points means more cash upfront in exchange for a lower rate.
- Taking a lender credit raises the rate slightly but reduces your closing costs today.
- Sheets like Moreira’s show how this trade‑off works across multiple options for the same loan type. ^[37]
Match the term to your timeline
- 15‑year loans can offer significantly lower rates and huge interest savings, but with much higher monthly payments.
- 30‑year loans maximize flexibility and cash flow, which may matter more if your income is variable or you plan to move within a decade.
Run a refi break‑even analysis
- For refinances, calculate how long it will take monthly savings to offset closing costs. If you’d break even in, say, 2–3 years and plan to stay much longer, a refi at today’s rates could make sense; if not, waiting may be smarter.
Ask about float‑down options
- Some lenders offer rate‑lock “float‑down” features, allowing you to benefit if rates fall before closing (usually for a fee or with conditions).

Bottom line

On December 6, 2025, the story on mortgage rates is cautiously good news for borrowers:

National averages are near their lows of the year, with 30‑year fixed rates just above 6% and 15‑year loans in the mid‑5s. ^[38]
Refinance opportunities are re‑emerging, particularly for homeowners who locked in at 7% or higher during the last rate spike. ^[39]
Economists expect rates to drift a bit lower into 2026, but most don’t see a return to the 3–4% era absent a much weaker economy. ^[40]