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Mortgage and refinance rates today, March 4, 2025: Rates hold steady

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Mortgage and refinance rates today, March 4, 2025: Rates hold steady

Some mortgage rates have decreased today while others have increased, but either way, the shifts are pretty minor. According to Zillow, the average 30-year fixed interest rate is down one basis point to 6.26%, and the 15-year fixed rate is up one basis point to 5.58%.

Interest rates have fallen for the last two weeks, and now that rates are holding steady, it could be a good time to start applying for preapproval with mortgage lenders.

Dig deeper: 2025 housing market — Is it a good time to buy a house?

Here are the current mortgage rates, according to our latest Zillow data:

  • 30-year fixed: 6.26%

  • 20-year fixed: 5.94%

  • 15-year fixed: 5.58%

  • 5/1 ARM: 6.15%

  • 7/1 ARM: 6.21%

  • 30-year VA: 5.72%

  • 15-year VA: 5.24%

  • 5/1 VA: 5.89%

Remember that these are the national averages and rounded to the nearest hundredth.

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Read more: How to get the lowest mortgage rates possible

Have questions about buying, owning, or selling a house? Submit your question to Yahoo’s panel of Realtors using this Google form.

These are the current mortgage refinance rates, according to the latest Zillow data:

  • 30-year fixed: 6.30%

  • 20-year fixed: 5.92%

  • 15-year fixed: 5.59%

  • 5/1 ARM: 6.24%

  • 7/1 ARM: 6.55%

  • 30-year VA: 5.73%

  • 15-year VA: 5.43%

  • 5/1 VA: 5.91%

  • 30-year FHA: 5.96%

  • 15-year FHA: 5.24%

Again, the numbers provided are national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth. Refinance rates are usually higher than purchase rates.

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A mortgage calculator can help you see how various mortgage term lengths and interest rates will affect your monthly payments. Use the free Yahoo Finance mortgage calculator to play around with different outcomes.

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Our calculator also considers factors like property taxes and homeowners insurance when calculating your estimated monthly mortgage payment. This gives you a better idea of your total monthly payment than if you just looked at mortgage principal and interest.

As a rule of thumb, 15-year mortgage rates are lower than 30-year mortgage rates. When comparing 15- versus 30-year mortgage rates, know that the shorter term will save you money on interest in the long run. However, your monthly payments will be higher because you’re paying off the same loan amount in half the time.

For example, with a $400,000 mortgage with a 30-year term and a 6.26% rate, you’ll make a monthly payment of about $2,465 toward your mortgage principal and interest. As interest accumulates over decades, you’ll end up paying $487,570 in interest.

If you get a $400,000 15-year mortgage with a 5.58% rate, you’ll pay about $3,285 monthly toward your principal and interest. However, you’ll only pay $191,361 in interest over the years.

If that 15-year mortgage monthly payment is too high, remember you can always make extra mortgage payments on your 30-year loan to pay off your mortgage faster and ultimately pay less interest.

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With a fixed-rate mortgage, your rate is locked in from day one. However, you will get a new rate if you refinance your mortgage.

An adjustable-rate mortgage keeps your rate the same for a set period of time. Then the rate will go up or down depending on several factors, such as the economy and the maximum amount your rate can change according to your contract. For example, with a 7/1 ARM, your rate would be locked in for the first seven years, then change every year for the remainder of your term.

Adjustable rates sometimes start lower than fixed rates, but once the initial rate-lock period ends, you risk your interest rate going up. ARM rates have also been starting higher than fixed rates recently, so they’re not as good of a deal as usual.

Dig deeper: Adjustable-rate vs. fixed-rate mortgage — Which should you choose?

Mortgage rates have been decreasing for about two weeks, but they’re fairly stagnant today. Economists also don’t expect drastic drops before the end of 2025.

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In 2024, mortgage rates trended downward from early August to the Sept. 18 Federal Reserve meeting, when the central bank announced a 50-basis-point slash to the federal funds rate. Since that announcement, mortgage rates have mostly increased or held steady.

The Fed decreased its rate again at its November and December meetings (by 25bps each time). The trajectory of future mortgage rates will largely depend on the Federal Reserve’s decision on whether or not to cut the federal funds rate at its 2025 meetings.

The Fed decided not to cut the fed funds rate at its Jan. 29 meeting. According to the CME FedWatch tool, there’s currently a 91% chance that the rate remains unchanged at the March meeting too. This means rates probably won’t significantly drop in the next couple of months.

Dig deeper: Understanding the Fed’s rate decisions — Do we want high or low interest rates?

According to Zillow data, today’s 30-year fixed rate for purchases is 6.26%, and the 30-year refinance rate is 6.30%. These are the national averages, so keep in mind the average in your state or city could be different. Your rate will also vary depending on your personal finances.

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Mortgage rates will probably gradually drop throughout 2025, but they’re unlikely to plummet anytime soon.

Mortgage rates should go down in 2025, though probably not as drastically as many expected a few months ago. Any decreases may be relatively small depending on the economy, inflation, and the Fed.

Finance

'There Could Be A Whole Other Life He's Living' 'The Ramsey Show' Host Says After Wife Finds $209K Debt Behind Her Back

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'There Could Be A Whole Other Life He's Living' 'The Ramsey Show' Host Says After Wife Finds 9K Debt Behind Her Back
A hidden financial discovery exposed the scale of debt inside a long-running marriage. Anne, a caller from Pittsburgh, reached out to “The Ramsey Show” for guidance after uncovering $209,000 in credit card balances. Married for 19 years and now in her 50s, she said the balances accumulated without her knowledge. She said her husband managed nearly all household finances. Anne added that her name was not on the primary bank account. She had no online access, and both personal and business expense
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Finance

Will Trump’s US$200 Billion MBS Purchase Directive Reshape Federal National Mortgage Association’s (FNMA) Core Narrative?

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Will Trump’s US0 Billion MBS Purchase Directive Reshape Federal National Mortgage Association’s (FNMA) Core Narrative?
In early January 2026, President Donald Trump directed government representatives, widely understood to include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to purchase US$200 billion in mortgage-backed securities to push mortgage rates and monthly payments lower. Beyond its housing affordability goal, the move highlights how heavily the administration is leaning on government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae to influence credit conditions and the mortgage market’s structure. With this large-scale…
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Holyoke City Council sends finance overhaul plan to committee for review

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Holyoke City Council sends finance overhaul plan to committee for review

HOLYOKE — The City Council has advanced plans to create a finance and administration department, voting to send proposed changes to a subcommittee for further review.

The move follows guidance from the state Division of Local Services aimed at strengthening the city’s internal cash controls, defining clear lines of accountability, and making sure staff have the appropriate education and skill level for their financial roles.

On Tuesday, Councilor Meg Magrath-Smith, who filed the order, said the council needed to change some wording about qualifications based on advice from the human resources department before sending it to the ordinance committee for review.

The committee will discuss and vote on the matter before it can head back to the full City Council for a vote. It meets next Tuesday. The next council meeting is scheduled for Jan. 20.

On Monday, Mayor Joshua Garcia said in his inaugural address that he plans to continue advancing his Municipal Finance Modernization Act.

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Last spring, Garcia introduced two budget plans: one showing the current $180 million cost of running the city, and another projecting savings if Holyoke adopted the finance act.

Key proposed changes include realigning departments to meet modern needs, renaming positions and reassigning duties, fixing problems found in decades of audits, and using technology to improve workflow and service.

Garcia said the plan aims to also make government more efficient and accountable by boosting oversight of the mayor and finance departments, requiring audits of all city functions, enforcing penalties for policy violations, and adding fraud protections with stronger reporting.

Other steps included changing the city treasurer from an elected to an appointed position, a measure approved in a special election last January.

Additionally, the city would adopt a financial management policies manual, create a consolidated Finance Department and hire a chief administrative and financial officer to handle forecasting, capital planning and informed decision-making.

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Garcia said that the state has suggested creating the CAFO position for almost 20 years and called on the City Council to pass the reform before the end of this fiscal year, so that it can be in place by July 1.

In a previous interview, City Council President Tessa Murphy-Romboletti said nine votes were needed to adopt the financial reform.

She also said past problems stemmed from a lack of proper systems and checks, an issue the city has dealt with since the 1970s.

The mayor would choose this officer, and the City Council will approve the appointment, she said.

In October, the City Council narrowly rejected the finance act in an 8-5 vote.

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Supporters ― Michael Sullivan, Israel Rivera, Jenny Rivera, Murphy-Romboletti, Anderson Burgos, former Councilor Kocayne Givner, Patti Devine and Magrath-Smith ― said the city needs modernization and greater transparency.

Opponents ― Howard Greaney Jr., Linda Vacon, former Councilors David Bartley, Kevin Jourdain and Carmen Ocasio — said a qualified treasurer should be appointed first.

Vacon said then the treasurer’s office was “a mess,” and that the city should “fix” one department before “mixing it with another.”

The City Council also clashed over fixes, as the state stopped sending millions in monthly aid because the city hadn’t finished basic financial paperwork for three years.

The main problem came from delays in financial reports from the treasurer’s office.

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Holyoke had a history of late filings. For six of the past eight years, the city delayed its required annual financial report, and five times in the past, the state withheld aid.

Council disputes over job descriptions, salaries and reforms also stalled progress.

In November, millions in state aid began flowing back to Holyoke after the city made some progress in closing out its books.

The state had withheld nearly $29 million for four months but even with aid restored, Holyoke still faces big financial problems, the Division of Local Services said.

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