The Best Jumbo Mortgage Rates for 2021

As of today, September 13, 2021, the jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 3.14%, the jumbo 15-year rate is 2.82%, and the jumbo 7/1 ARM rate is 2.19%. These rates are not the teaser rates you may see advertised online and based on our methodology should be more representative of what customers could expect to be quoted depending on their qualifications. You can learn more about what makes our rates different in the Methodology section of this page.

A mortgage rate is the amount of interest lenders charge on a home loan and may differ depending on the amount you borrow and whether you opt for a fixed- or adjustable-rate mortgage. Jumbo mortgage rates are rates associated with jumbo loans. Jumbo loans exceed the limits of conforming loans: $548,250 for single-family homes or $822,375 in locations with higher home values. Those who are looking for high-value homes will be purchasing them through a jumbo loan with a corresponding jumbo loan rate.

While rates are often similar to rates for conforming loans, they can be higher, leading to more interest paid over the course of the loan. In order to qualify, borrowers will be required to have a good credit profile that includes a low debt-to-income ratio and a higher credit score. If you’re considering taking out a jumbo loan, check out the rates below so you can determine the best course of action for your borrowing needs.

Today’s Jumbo Mortgage Rates

Today’s Rates For All Mortgage Loan Types

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is a Mortgage Rate?

Home loans come with a mortgage rate which is the amount of interest borrowers are charged in exchange for the amount lent by the financing company. Rates can be fixed or adjustable. Fixed rates won’t change throughout the entirety of the mortgage term while adjustable-rate mortgages fluctuate based on a benchmark rate for the duration of the mortgage term—usually every six months or a year.

The mortgage rate is one of the most important features for borrowers looking into home financing options. That’s because this rate will affect the monthly payments and total interest paid over the course of the loan. 

What Is a Jumbo Mortgage?

A jumbo mortgage, or jumbo loan, is a type of loan that exceeds value limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). These types of mortgages aren’t guaranteed, purchased, or sold by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, both government-sponsored entities. 

These limits vary based on where you live—in general, areas with a higher cost of living will have higher limits. As of 2021, FHFA set the conforming loan limit at $548,250 (single-family homes) for most of the U.S. counties. There is an exception where there are higher home values and the limit is increased to $822,375. Anything above these numbers is a jumbo mortgage.

How Are Jumbo Mortgage Rates Set?

Like conventional mortgages, rates are influenced based on the Federal Reserve benchmarks and on individual factors such as the borrower’s credit score. Jumbo mortgage rates will rise and fall in line with the Fed’s short-term interest rates.

Additionally, since these loans are more than half a million dollars and pose a great risk to lenders, borrowers will face more rigorous credit requirements. This includes having a much higher credit score (often at least 700) and a lower debt-to-income ratio. Lenders will also want borrowers to prove they have a certain amount of cash reserves. The better your credit profile, the less your jumbo mortgage rate will be.  

Does the Federal Reserve Decide Mortgage Rates?

The Federal Reserve doesn’t determine mortgage rates directly. Instead, it influences the rate indirectly by deciding on short-term interest rates. These rates are ones that financial institutions use to borrow from each other and which the government issues short-term bonds. 

Ultimately, the Federal Reserve uses these rates to help guide the economy by encouraging growth and keeping inflation under control. Lowering rates is often a sign of trying to stimulate the economy with new big-ticket purchases such as homes.

Whenever the Federal Open Market Committee decides to raise or lower short-term interest rates, lenders raise or lower theirs accordingly.

What Is a Good Jumbo Mortgage Rate?

What’s considered a good jumbo mortgage rate will depend on your individual credit profile. Just because you see low advertised rates, doesn’t mean you’ll get that rate. The best rates are offered to those who have excellent credit, a sizable amount of assets, and a low debt-to-income ratio, among other factors. 

Do Different Mortgage Types Have Different Rates?

Various mortgage types offer different rates. Conventional, fixed-rate mortgages usually have different rates between loan terms; longer terms hold higher interest rates than shorter terms. For instance, a 15-year mortgage usually has lower rates than a 30-year term.

Adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, have different rates from fixed-rate mortgages. ARM loans usually have lower initial interest rates, making payments more manageable early in the loan term. After a predetermined period of time, the rate goes up or down depending on the current market conditions.

Jumbo mortgages also have different rates compared to conforming mortgages, usually being higher than conforming mortgages because of the risk associated with a larger loan balance.

Are Interest Rate and APR the Same?

Borrowers may notice some lenders offer interest rates and annual percentage rates (APR) that are similar, but they are in fact two different things. The interest rate, expressed as a percentage, is the amount a lender intends to charge borrowers for the amount lent (known as the principal). The APR, also expressed as a percentage, includes the interest rate plus all lender charges rolled into the loan, such as application fees, broker fees, origination fees, and any mortgage points. 

APRs tend to be higher than their corresponding interest rates. When they are similar, it means the mortgage has less added costs rolled into the loan. The lower the APR, the less borrowers pay for the loan over the course of the contract term.

How Do I Qualify for Better Jumbo Mortgage Rates?

Due to the more stringent requirements in qualifying for a jumbo mortgage, borrowers need to make sure they have a high credit score, a low debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, and plenty of assets or cash reserves. In other words, lenders want borrowers to prove they’re financially stable and creditworthy enough to take out a jumbo loan since lenders can’t sell their loans to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac to offload some of the risks. 

Many lenders want to see scores of 700 or more in order to offer competitive rates. To raise yours, first see where you stand. You can get a free credit report from all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—from AnnualCreditReport.com. Make sure all the information on your reports is accurate. Otherwise, contact the credit reporting bureau and the appropriate creditor of any discrepancies to contest it. 

There are plenty of ways to raise or maintain your credit score, but the most effective way is to ensure you’re paying down your debt and making on-time payments. Other actions include not taking out any additional loans when applying for a mortgage.

As for your DTI, this ratio is a percentage of your gross income that goes toward paying your monthly debt obligations. Lenders look at this number to determine whether you can afford your mortgage payments. Lenders want borrowers to have a DTI of no more than 43%, but ideally seek DTI ratios of 36% or less. 

Lenders also look at what’s called a front-end DTI, where it calculates how much of your gross income goes toward housing. To calculate the front-end, take all your housing expenses (including mortgage payments and homeowners insurance) and divide them by your gross income. Lenders prefer that this number is no more than 28% of your total income.

If your DTI is high, you can lower that amount by increasing your income or paying down more of your existing debt.

Other ways to help you qualify for better jumbo mortgage rates include having more cash reserves. Larger amounts of assets show lenders that, if need be, you can draw from these reserves to pay your monthly mortgage payments. Mortgage lenders may not require a huge down payment (some may ask for 10% down), but to avoid the cost of private mortgage insurance and increase your chances of getting a better rate, it’s a good idea to aim for 20% down. 

How Big a Mortgage Can I Afford?

How much you can borrow will depend on factors such as your credit score, income, assets and the value of the property. Jumbo mortgages are generally the best for someone who is a high-income earner—essentially, someone who can afford the higher payments.

Even if lenders offer a specific loan amount, it doesn’t mean you need to purchase a home up to that limit. Carefully consider how much you want to pay and can easily afford so that you can achieve your other financial goals, like saving for retirement. A good rule of thumb is using the front-end DTI to determine your maximum affordability, which shouldn’t exceed 28% of your income.

What Are Mortgage Points?

Also referred to as discount points, mortgage points are a fee borrowers pay lenders in order to receive a lower interest rate. In other words, you are prepaying interest for a period of time in order to pay less on the overall lifetime costs of your loan.

One mortgage point costs 1% of your loan amount. For instance, if you take out a loan for $600,000, you’ll pay $6,000 to reduce your rate by 0.25%. It may not seem like a huge amount, but it can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of the loan. 

For example, you take out a $600,000 mortgage with 20% down and at an interest rate of 3.25%. With a 30-year jumbo loan, you’ll pay $272,036.52 in interest. In contrast, if you paid $6,000 to lower the rate to 3%, you’ll end up paying $248,531.77 in interest, a savings of $23,504.75.

Should I Get a Jumbo Mortgage?

The decision to take out a jumbo mortgage is a decision not to be taken lightly. That’s why it’s important to understand what lenders are looking for when it comes to these types of mortgages as well as making sure that you can afford the monthly payments. With homes that have a higher value, home insurance and maintenance needs may also be more expensive, so don’t forget to factor these costs into your budget. 

If you do decide to move forward, you’ll probably face a more complicated and involved process in order for a lender to approve a loan. That’s why shopping around is crucial—finding the right lender offers you the best chance of purchasing your dream home.

How We Chose the Best Jumbo Mortgage Rates

In order to assess the best jumbo mortgage rates, we first needed to create a credit profile. This profile included a credit score ranging from 700 to 760 with a property loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of 80%. With this profile, we averaged the lowest rates offered by more than 200 of the nation’s top lenders. As such, these rates are representative of what real consumers will see when shopping for a mortgage. 

Keep in mind that mortgage rates may change daily and this data is intended to be for informational purposes only. A person’s personal credit and income profile will be the deciding factors in what loan rates and terms they are able to get. Loan rates do not include amounts for taxes or insurance premiums and individual lender terms will apply.