Mortgage rates today edged lower on April 13, 2026, with the average 30-year loan falling to 6.30% and the average 15-year mortgage slipping to 5.92%. The 30-year rate hit its lowest point in recent weeks as bond markets rallied on shifting trade war expectations.
Refinance borrowers saw the same pattern. The average 30-year refinance rate stood at 6.62%, while the 15-year refinance rate was 5.91%.
The move marked a genuine improvement from recent highs, and it came after weeks of market turbulence that had pushed borrowing costs around. Lower bond yields gave mortgage rates room to decline, offering some relief to buyers and homeowners watching for a break.
The catch is that the drop may not last. Trade negotiations could still change the picture, and borrowers who locked in loans during the peak rate period of late 2023 and early 2024 may still be paying rates above 7%.
For now, the direction is better than it has been in weeks. Whether it holds will depend less on mortgage demand than on what happens next in the trade talks that have been moving bond markets.
