NEW YORK, NY — Mortgage rates moved higher again on Sept. 1, 2026, with Bankrate putting the national average on a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.76 percent. The average 15-year fixed rate was 6.12 percent. Both figures remained below 7 percent, but they were higher than the day before and higher than they were a week earlier.
The latest increase leaves borrowers facing a market that has been jumpy for months. Mortgage rates have climbed since the start of the war in Iran and are now nearly 70 basis points above their late-February level, according to Freddie Mac. The Wall Street Journal’s Buy Side said the move reflects pressure from the bond market and a 10-year Treasury yield that mortgage rates often track.
What Bankrate Reported
Bankrate’s daily snapshot showed the 30-year fixed rate at 6.76 percent and the 15-year fixed rate at 6.12 percent. The outlet said the figures are interest rates, not annual percentage rates, and noted that rate quotes can vary by borrower and lender.
The piece also pointed to a recent Bankrate study saying homeowners who do not shop around for multiple quotes typically pay an extra $78,000 over the life of the loan compared with buyers who request several offers. It recommended applying with at least three lenders to compare rates and closing costs, while stressing that a quoted rate can shift based on credit, down payment, points and loan term.
Why Rates Are Elevated
The report tied the recent climb to broader financial-market conditions, especially the selloff in bonds that pushed up the 10-year Treasury yield. Because mortgage rates usually move in the same direction as that benchmark, higher Treasury yields have helped keep home loan costs elevated even though the 30-year average is still below the peaks seen in late 2023.
Freddie Mac has said mortgage rates have risen sharply since late February, after dipping below 6 percent in early 2026. The market had lingered in the 6.40 percent to 6.50 percent range through much of May, June and part of July before jumping into the 6.70 percent to 6.80 percent range at the end of July. Fannie Mae now expects rates to stay above 6 percent through the rest of 2026.
What Borrowers Should Watch
For buyers, refinancers and homeowners thinking about a move, the immediate takeaway is that national mortgage pricing remains volatile and sensitive to market swings. A longer-term loan can still mean a lower monthly payment than a shorter term, but the total interest cost is higher over time. The piece also notes that borrowers can change the size of the payment by choosing a different term, paying points or making a larger down payment.
What happens next depends on Treasury yields, inflation worries and Federal Reserve decisions. The Fed has held its benchmark rate steady five times in 2026 after three cuts in late 2025, and CME FedWatch suggests no change is likely at the September meeting. Consumers can check daily averages at Bankrate, Freddie Mac and lender quotes, but the exact rate will still depend on each borrower’s file.
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