Shop for deals as rates rise: Mortgage lenders with the best rates this week, Dec. 15, 2025

Core Insights - The top three mortgage lenders with the lowest rates are Navy Federal Credit Union, Citi Mortgage, and PenFed Credit Union, as per a survey by Yahoo Finance [1] - Mortgage rates have slightly increased despite a Federal Reserve rate cut, with the top five lenders including Citi, Chase, Navy Federal, and PenFed, while Better and Truist are competing for the fifth position [3] - An APR difference of 0.91 percentage points exists between the top lender, Navy Federal, and the bottom lender, Third Federal, highlighting the importance of comparing rates from multiple lenders [4] Mortgage Rate Trends - The mortgage lenders with the best rates are determined based on a survey of 30-year, fixed-rate conventional loans [2] - The current mortgage rates are based on generic assumptions, including credit scores and down payments, which can vary significantly based on individual circumstances [5][6] Shopping for Mortgage Rates - Borrowers can save up to $44,000 over the life of a 30-year loan by shopping around for mortgage rates [7] - The annual percentage rate (APR) is emphasized as the most important figure, as it includes both the interest rate and lender fees, providing a more accurate measure of borrowing costs [8] Discount Points - Lenders may offer mortgage discount points to lower interest rates, which are prepaid interest fees paid at closing [10] - Each point typically costs 1% of the loan amount and can reduce the interest rate by approximately 0.25% [11] - Borrowers have the option to decline discount points, which will result in a higher interest rate [11][12]