How do I get the best interest rate?

Five things drive your rate: credit score, loan-to-value ratio (down payment percentage), debt-to-income ratio, loan type, and lender competition. The first three are about you — a 760+ credit score, 20%+ down payment, and DTI under 36% will get you the best pricing on conventional loans. Loan type matters because FHA and VA price differently than conventional, and 15-year fixed rates are typically 0.5-0.75% lower than 30-year. But the biggest lever — and the one most buyers don't think about — is lender competition. Banks and credit unions only sell their own product. As a broker I shop your file across 30+ wholesale lenders and pick the best price for your exact scenario; the same loan can have a 0.25-0.5% rate spread between lenders on any given day. You can also pay points (prepaid interest) to buy your rate down, lock your rate when the market dips, or use a lender credit to offset closing costs in exchange for a slightly higher rate. I'll show you the trade-offs side by side so you can pick what saves you the most money over the time you actually plan to keep the loan.