Rates Hit 6.76% This Week — Freddie Mac's Own Chief Economist Says Do This Before You Panic

Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week of September 10, 2026 put the 30-year fixed rate at 6.76%, up from 6.71% the week before and a full 41 basis points higher than the 6.35% average from this time last year. It's the third straight weekly increase, and for buyers watching the headlines, it's easy to read this as more bad news piling up.

But the most useful line from this week's report didn't come from the rate itself — it came from Freddie Mac's own chief economist, Sam Khater, who put it plainly: aspiring buyers should remember that shopping around for the best mortgage rate and getting multiple quotes can potentially save them thousands of dollars.

Why Rate-Shopping Matters More When Rates Are Rising

It's a simple point, but it's one a lot of buyers skip, especially first-timers who apply with a single lender — often whoever their agent or a friend recommended — and assume the number they're quoted is close to the best available. In a rate environment moving up week over week, the spread between lenders can be meaningfully wider than it looks. A quarter-point difference in rate on a typical Central Ohio mortgage can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the life of the loan.

• 30-year fixed averaged 6.76% for the week of September 10, 2026 — up from 6.71% the prior week
• That's 41 basis points higher than the 6.35% average from a year ago
• Freddie Mac's own economist recommends getting quotes from multiple lenders before choosing one
• 15-year fixed averaged 6.09%, also up from the prior week and worth comparing against a 30-year if you can handle a higher payment

A Simple Move That Costs Nothing to Try

Getting pre-approved with two or three lenders — a mix of a local credit union, a national bank, and an independent mortgage broker is a reasonable starting point — typically takes a few soft or grouped hard inquiries and a bit of extra paperwork, but no financial commitment until you actually pick one. Rate, closing costs, and lender fees can all vary meaningfully between offers even in the same week, for buyers with identical credit and down payment profiles. In a rate environment like this one, that comparison shopping is doing real work toward your bottom line, even if it doesn't change the headline rate itself.

Bottom Line

Rates moved higher again this week to 6.76%, but Freddie Mac's own advice is to shop multiple lenders before locking anything in. It costs nothing to compare, and the savings can be real.



Margaret Lipp | REMAX Premier Choice

Serving Upper Arlington, Dublin, Worthington, Clintonville, Hilliard, Powell, Grandview, and all Central Ohio communities

Source: Columbus REALTORS® Central Ohio Housing Report, July 2026 (most recent available; the August 2026 report is expected around September 20). Additional data from Columbus REALTORS® MLS inventory figures and the Worthington, Ohio Real Estate Market Report. Mortgage rate data from Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, September 10, 2026. Market data is a snapshot in time and subject to change.