How Falling Mortgage Rates Could Help Washington Home Buyers in 2026

A recent report from the government-sponsored mortgage buyer Freddie Mac brought good news for home buyers across Washington. Mortgage rates continued to trend downward last week, after climbing to a 15-year peak toward the end of last year.

This downward trend could help improve affordability for home buyers in cities throughout Washington State. Here’s what you need to know about these recent mortgage rate trends, and how they might affect you when buying a home later this year.

Mortgage Rates Inching Downward at the Start of 2026

Mortgage rates are showing modest downward movement as we head into 2026, offering some relief after the volatility of recent years. After averaging above 7% in early 2025, rates have gradually eased into the mid-6% range, with the average 30-year fixed rate dipping around 6.18–6.30% in late 2025, influenced by softer economic data and Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Most experts forecast that this slow decline will continue through 2026 rather than plunge sharply. Forecasts from Realtor.com and other analysts project rates hovering near 6.0–6.4% through much of the year, with some projections even suggesting a dip below 6% by late 2026 if inflation stays under control and economic growth slows.

This gradual improvement could improve housing affordability, helping Washington home buyers enter the market more comfortably than in recent years.

View WA State Mortgage Rates Jan, 23, Fri, 2026

Increased Affordability for Washington Home Buyers

So how does this trend affect home buyers? Among other things, it will increase affordability for many of those who plan to take out a mortgage loan in the near future. In fact, these recent trends could give thousands of home buyers across Washington State greater purchasing power over the coming weeks and months.

According to the economic research team at Freddie Mac, the lower mortgage rates mentioned above could benefit millions of home buyers nationwide in early 2026. They estimated that an additional three million mortgage shoppers could now qualify for a median-priced home, compared to before the recent rate decline.

Here in Washington, tens of thousands of home buyers who couldn’t afford to make a purchase just a few weeks ago might now be able to do so. That’s why we are working hard to highlight these recent trends. It’s a pretty big deal, from a buyer’s perspective!

Home Price Growth Has Slowed Down as Well

According to Zillow, the median home price in Washington state was around $587,696 at the start of 2026, which is relatively the same as where prices were the same time last year. This is more good news for homebuyers, because it relieves some of the urgency around the house hunting process.

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Improve Your Chances of Getting a Good Rate

It’s important to note that the mortgage rates mentioned above represent averages, based on the weekly survey conducted by Freddie Mac. The actual rates offered to individual home buyers can vary due to a number of factors. Credit scores, down payments, and the type of home loan being used can all affect a person’s mortgage rate.

With that in mind, here are some of the things you could do to improve your chances of qualifying or a good mortgage rate in 2026:

1. Consider the term. The length of the repayment period or “term” can affect the mortgage rate. A loan with a shorter term usually offers a lower rate, and vice-versa. So be sure to consider all of your financing options, and how they might affect your monthly payments.
2. Consider points. Some home buyers in Washington choose to pay points in order to “buy down” their mortgage rates. One point is equal to 1% of the loan amount. So if you have a $400,000 loan, one point would be $4,000. Depending on how long you plan to keep the loan, it might make sense to pay points at closing in exchange for a lower interest rate.
3. Consider the ARM. An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) has an interest rate that can change over time, usually once a year. The initial interest rate for an ARM is typically lower than a fixed-rate mortgage, but it can increase over time. Some home buyers in Washington use ARM loans so they can get a lower rate during the first few years, and then refinance later on.
4. Shop around: Statistics from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau show that around 70% of borrowers use the first lender they talk to, and around 90% use one of the first two lenders they speak with. The same research also shows that borrowers who speak with three or more lenders save thousands of dollars vs. those who don’t. If you’re working with a lender that tells you all lenders price their rates the same as they all use the same source, be cautious. Either they don’t know how mortgage pricing, margins and the secondary market works or they’re flat out lying.
5. Choose Transparency: Be careful when choosing a lender that isn’t transparent with their rates and fees. Ideally they should allow you to get a quote easily on their website but at a minimum they should be willing to provide you with current rate quote based on the parameters of your situation. If they require a full application prior to giving you specifics on the current rates and their fees, again proceed with caution.

Need a Mortgage in Washington?

Do you need mortgage financing? We can help. Sammamish Mortgage has been helping borrowers across the Pacific Northwest since 1992, including Washington State, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and California. We offer many different mortgage programs with flexible qualification requirements to suit the needs of each borrower, including our Diamond Homebuyer Program, Cash Buyer Program, and Bridge Loans. Contact us today if you have questions about applying for a mortgage, to get pre-approved, or visit our website to get an instant rate quote.