Mortgage and refinance interest rates today, Saturday, July 18, 2026: Rates lower to start the weekend
Mortgage and refinance interest rates today, Saturday, July 18, 2026: Rates lower to start the weekend.
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Read more: Weekly survey of mortgage lenders with the lowest rates: Rates bubble higher
Here are the current mortgage rates today, Saturday, July 18, 2026 , according to the latest Zillow data:
Remember, these are the national averages and are rounded to the nearest hundredth.
Read more: Discover 8 strategies for getting the lowest mortgage rates
These are today's mortgage refinance rates, Saturday, July 18, 2026 , according to the latest Zillow data:
Again, the numbers provided are national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth. Mortgage refinance rates are often higher than rates when you buy a house, although that's not always the case.
Read more: Want to refinance your mortgage in 2026? Here's what to do .
Use the mortgage calculator below to see how today's interest rates would affect your monthly mortgage payments.
You can bookmark the Yahoo Finance mortgage payment calculator and keep it handy for future use, as you shop for homes and the best mortgage lenders . You also have the option to enter costs for private mortgage insurance (PMI) and homeowners' association dues, if applicable. These details result in a more accurate monthly payment estimate than if you simply calculated your mortgage principal and interest.
There are two main advantages to a 30-year fixed mortgage: Your payments are lower, and your monthly payments are predictable.
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has relatively low monthly payments because you're spreading your repayment out over a longer period of time than with, say, a 15-year mortgage. Your payments are predictable because, unlike with an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), your rate isn't going to change from year to year. Most years, the only things that might affect your monthly payment are any changes to your homeowners insurance or property taxes .
The main disadvantage of 30-year fixed mortgage rates is the mortgage interest, both in the short and long term.
A 30-year fixed term comes with a higher rate than a shorter fixed term, and it's higher than the intro rate to a 30-year ARM. The higher your rate, the higher your monthly payment. You'll also pay much more in interest over the life of your loan due to both the higher rate and the longer term.
The pros and cons of 15-year fixed mortgage rates are basically swapped with those of the 30-year rates. Yes, your monthly payments will still be predictable, but another advantage is that shorter terms come with lower interest rates. Not to mention, you'll pay off your mortgage 15 years sooner. So you could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your loan.
However, because you're paying off the same amount in half the time, your monthly payments will be higher than if you choose a 30-year term.
Adjustable-rate mortgages lock in your rate for a predetermined period, then adjust it periodically. For example, with a 5/1 ARM, your rate stays the same for the first five years and then goes up or down once per year for the remaining 25 years.
The main advantage is that the introductory rate is usually lower than what you'll get with a 30-year fixed rate, so your monthly payments will be lower. (Current average rates might not necessarily reflect this, though — in some cases, fixed rates are actually lower. Talk to your lender before deciding between a fixed or adjustable rate .)
