Economy April 9, 2026 12:01 PM

Freddie Mac: U.S. Mortgage Rates Ease Slightly This Week

30-year and 15-year fixed rates tick down, offering a potential lift for spring homebuying activity

By Sofia Navarro
Freddie Mac: U.S. Mortgage Rates Ease Slightly This Week

Freddie Mac reports modest declines in benchmark mortgage rates for the week ending April 9, 2026, with the 30-year fixed-rate falling to 6.37% and the 15-year fixed-rate to 5.74%. The readings are lower than last week and slightly below the levels reported a year ago, according to the lender's Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Key Points

  • 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.37% as of April 9, 2026, down from 6.46% last week and below last year's 6.62% average.
  • 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.74%, down from 5.77% last week and lower than the 5.82% average a year ago.
  • Freddie Mac's Chief Economist said the decline could be a positive development for prospective homebuyers and could help the spring buying season.

Freddie Mac reported on Thursday that U.S. mortgage rates edged down for the latest weekly survey period. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.37% as of April 9, 2026, a decline from 6.46% the prior week. By comparison, the 30-year rate averaged 6.62% one year earlier.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also fell modestly, averaging 5.74% this week versus 5.77% in the prior week. One year ago, the 15-year rate averaged 5.82%, according to Freddie Mac's release.

Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist, commented on the weekly movement: "Mortgage rates ticked down this week, averaging 6.37%. The decrease in rates represents a positive development for prospective homebuyers and could spark a more favorable spring homebuying season than last year." The comments and data appeared in Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

The weekly snapshot provides a short-term look at prevailing fixed-rate mortgage pricing as tracked by Freddie Mac. The reported declines for both the 30-year and 15-year fixed products are incremental but align with the lender's description of a rate environment that, for the moment, is easing compared with the previous week.

For buyers, refinancers and market participants, the numbers in the Primary Mortgage Market Survey offer a timely reference point for borrowing costs. The survey's figures show that rates remain below the 30-year and 15-year averages recorded a year ago, while the week-to-week movement underscores the incremental nature of recent changes.


Summary

Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows a small decline in headline mortgage rates for the week ending April 9, 2026. The 30-year fixed-rate averaged 6.37%, down from 6.46% the prior week and lower than the 6.62% average a year earlier. The 15-year fixed-rate averaged 5.74%, down from 5.77% the previous week and below last year's 5.82% average. Freddie Mac's chief economist framed the change as potentially supportive for homebuying this spring.

Risks

  • The report shows only a one-week snapshot; short-term declines do not guarantee sustained lower rates or broader market shifts - this affects homebuyers and mortgage-related sectors.
  • The data does not provide information on other factors that influence housing demand, so it is uncertain whether the modest rate decrease will translate into materially higher purchase activity - this impacts real estate and mortgage lending.

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