1 in 3 Homeowners With Sub-6% Mortgage Rate Say They Wouldn't Give Up Their Rate for Any Reason

76% of homeowners with mortgages pay below today's rate of 6%, and nearly half say they simply couldn't afford a mortgage at current levels.

ST. LOUIS, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a third (35%) of homeowners with a mortgage rate below 6% would not give up their rate for any reason, with nearly half (47%) saying they couldn't afford today's rates, according to a new report from Best Interest Financial, a Detroit-based mortgage broker, and Clever Real Estate, a St. Louis-based real estate company.

Among homeowners with sub-3% mortgages, the percentage who wouldn't give up their rate for any reason jumps to 52%.

Although 76% of mortgaged homeowners have rates under 6%, most felt uninformed when buying (59%), and nearly two-thirds (63%) believe lenders take advantage of first-time buyers.

Overall, 1 in 10 homeowners (10%) say mortgage payments are their single biggest financial stressor. More than half of homeowners (52%) have regrets about their mortgage, rising to 75% among those paying 6% or more.

About 60% of borrowers with rates of 6% or higher say they couldn't comfortably make their mortgage payments if their income decreased at all, and nearly half (45%) say their finances have worsened since buying a home.

Additionally, 41% of high-rate homeowners feel anxious about their mortgage, compared to just 15% of those with rates below 6%.

Two-thirds (68%) of high-rate borrowers don't expect their finances to be stable over the course of their mortgage, and 44% have reduced their retirement savings to afford their mortgage — compared to just 17% of those with a rate under 6%.

Among all homeowners with mortgages, about half (49%) say rates have impacted their housing decisions. Homeowners prioritize mortgage rates over home prices, with 58% saying they'd rather move when rates are low, compared to 42% who'd prefer low home prices.

Although 69% of borrowers don't think rates will ever return to the historic lows of the pandemic-era market, 51% say they wouldn't sell unless rates drop below 5%, and 20% would only sell if rates fall below 3%.

Read the full report: https://bestinterest.com/research/mortgage-rate-lock-in-effect/

About Best Interest Financial
At Best Interest Financial, borrowers come first, with personalized guidance and tailored mortgage options. Since 2024, hundreds of families have trusted Best Interest Financial to achieve their dream of homeownership. Now an affiliate of Clever Real Estate, a free agent-matching service that's saved consumers $210 million on Realtor fees since 2017, Best Interest shares a mission to connect people with the best solutions for every step of their real estate journey.

About Clever
Clever Real Estate's content reaches over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 4,000+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $15.2 billion in real estate sold, matched 200,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $220 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 18,000 agents across all 50 states.

CONTACT: 
Nicole Lehman
Clever Real Estate
[email protected]
724-719-0406

SOURCE Best Interest Financial