Top 5 lenders remain in the 5% range: Mortgage lenders with the best rates this week, Dec. 22, 2025

Core Insights - The top five mortgage lenders are consistently offering rates in the upper-5% range, significantly outperforming competitors [1][3] - The leading lenders are providing rates below 6%, highlighting the variability in mortgage rates among different lenders [3] - Citi Mortgage is the top lender with an APR that is 1.04 percentage points lower than Third Federal, indicating a substantial potential savings for borrowers [5] Mortgage Rates Overview - As of December 22, 2025, the best mortgage rates are being offered by the top 10 lenders, with specific APRs listed [2] - Flagstar Bank has entered the top 10 for the first time, although it ranks lower with APRs above 6% [4] - The difference in APR between the best and worst lenders can save borrowers over $220 monthly and more than $80,000 in interest over the life of a 30-year loan [5] Shopping for Mortgage Rates - Borrowers can save an average of $44,000 over the life of a 30-year loan by shopping around for mortgage rates [8] - The APR is emphasized as the most important figure for borrowers, as it includes both the interest rate and lender fees [9] - Lenders may offer discount points to lower interest rates, which are optional and can complicate the comparison process [11][12] Simplifying the Comparison Process - When comparing rates from multiple lenders, it is recommended to request quotes without discount points to focus on the APR for accurate comparisons [13] - The methodology for determining the lowest mortgage rates is based on sorting by APR, which includes interest rates and lender fees [14]