Rates are expected to drop this coming week, say the majority of rate watchers polled by Bankrate.
Of those polled, 53 percent of respondents predict rates will drop, 27 percent expect rates to climb, and 20 percent say rates will stay flat or that they're undecided on the movement.
The average 30-year fixed rate was 6.72 percent as of March 5, according to Bankrate’s national survey of large lenders, down from 6.84 the previous week.
Estimate your monthly mortgage payment based on current rates using this calculator.
Rate Trend Index
Experts predict where mortgage rates are headed
Week of March 6 - 12, 2025
| Go up | 20% |
|---|---|
| Stay the same | 27% |
| Go down | 53% |
If the employment report comes in on the weaker side, this will stoke fears of an economic slowdown and drive both bond yields and mortgage rates lower.
—Greg McBride, CFA Bankrate
20% say rates will go up
Dan Green
Mortgage originator at Homebuyer.com, Homebuyer.com , Cincinnati , OH
Up. The only thing mortgage markets hate more than inflation is uncertainty— and there's a lot of uncertainty right now.
Nicole Rueth
Branch Manager and Senior Vice President, The Rueth Team
Given the uncertainty of the BLS Jobs Report but the expectation of a flat 4 percent unemployment, I expect rates will move back up from their current 6.7 percent to 6.875 percent by the end of the week. I could be completely wrong if jobs plummet and/or unemployment increases.
Sean P. Salter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Finance and Dale Carnegie Trainer, Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro , TN
Higher. Recent rate declines have led to increased mortgage activity, but the 10-year Treasury has ticked up slightly, and I expect mortgage rates to follow.
53% say rates will go down
Michael Becker
Branch Manager, Sierra Pacific Mortgage , White Marsh , MD
The decline in rates has stalled as a result of stronger-than-expected ISM Non-manufacturing PMI. However, the ADP [jobs report] shows weakness in the labor market with only 77,000 private sector jobs created. Labor weakness can help mortgage rates drop. The future of mortgage rates will depend heavily on this Friday’s non-payroll report. I expect it to show a similar weakness to the ADP, therefore mortgage rates will drop in the coming week.
Melissa Cohn
Regional Vice President, William Raveis Mortgage
Mortgage rates look to be on a bit of a see-saw as inflationary tariffs are put into effect. I think the general trend at the moment is downward but not by much as we already had a nice drop in rates last week.
Ken Johnson
Walker Family Chair of Real Estate, University of Mississippi
Long-term mortgage rates closely follow the yield on 10-year Treasurys, at least in a directional sense. In the last three weeks, the yield on 10-year Treasurys is down almost 50 basis points. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that mortgage rates will fall, if only slightly, this week.
Jeff Lazerson
President, MortgageGrader
Down. Consumer confidence is in meltdown. When folks are uncertain, they stop spending.
Dick Lepre
Senior Loan Officer, Realfinity , Alamo , CA
Trend: Lower. The general trend for mortgage rates is lower. The BLS Employment Situation report, always a market mover, will be released on March 7.
Greg McBride, CFA
Chief Financial Analyst, Bankrate , North Palm Beach , FL
If the employment report comes in on the weaker side, this will stoke fears of an economic slowdown and drive both bond yields and mortgage rates lower.
Denise McManus
Global Real Estate Advisor, Engel & Voelkers & Senior Lender, Xpert Home Lending, Engel & Voelkers
Over the past week, U.S. mortgage rates have experienced a significant decline, reaching their lowest levels in several months. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at approximately 6.70 percent, down from around 7 percent in February. This downward trend is largely attributed to growing economic uncertainties, particularly concerns over the potential impact of newly imposed tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China. These trade tensions have led to a decrease in bond yields, which mortgage rates typically follow. Remember, if we have bad news, rates are usually better! For the week ahead, I see the rates continuing to fall, ever so slightly.
James Sahnger
Mortgage Planner, C2 Financial Corporation , Jupiter , FL
Employment numbers play a significant role in the direction of interest rates. ADP released their employment report today and the 77,000 jobs reported came in much lower than the expected 140,000. I expect that the BLS numbers on Friday will continue to show weakness.
27% say unchanged–
Dr. Anthony O. Kellum
President & CEO, Kellum Mortgage , Roseville , MI
I believe mortgage rates will remain unchanged. Given the current economic indicators and the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance, I don't anticipate any significant movement in rates at this time.
Joel Naroff
President and Chief Economist, Naroff Economic Advisors , Holland , PA
No idea [where rates are headed]. Tell me what is happening with tariffs and I will guess the direction of rates. Without that knowledge, just throw a dart.
Robert J. Smith
Chief Economist, GetWYZ Mortgage
Rates should remain about the same over the next week, barring any surprises from the employment data on Friday and inflation data next week.
Nancy Vanden Houton, CFA
Senior Research Analyst, Stone & McCarthy Research Associates , New York , NY
Unchanged.