Rates as of July 18, 2026
| Program | Mortgage Rate | APR* | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional 30-year fixed | |||
| Conventional 30-year fixed | 6.649% | 6.765% | -0.03 |
| Conventional 15-year fixed | |||
| Conventional 15-year fixed | 6.017% | 6.167% | -0.04 |
| 30-year fixed FHA | |||
| 30-year fixed FHA | 6.125% | 6.152% | Unchanged |
| 30-year fixed VA | |||
| 30-year fixed VA | 6.125% | 6.152% | Unchanged |
| 5/1 ARM Conventional | |||
| 5/1 ARM Conventional | 7.375% | 5.74% | Unchanged |
| Conventional 20-year fixed | |||
| Conventional 20-year fixed | 6.5% | 6.621% | Unchanged |
| Conventional 10-year fixed | |||
| Conventional 10-year fixed | 6.125% | 6.168% | Unchanged |
| Rates are provided by our partner network, and may not reflect the market. Your rate might be different. Click here for a personalized rate quote. See our rate assumptions See our rate assumptions here. | |||
Buying a Home in Washington
Despite rising home prices, buyers continue to flock to Washington — especially the greater Seattle area.
Lucky for those who decide to buy in the evergreen state, Washington was one of the states that enacted new buyer protection laws in 1994. These laws were meant to combat the “buyer beware” tradition in real estate sales. They do this by mandating that sellers disclose any issues with the property to potential buyers.
Some of the contents of the seller disclosure form in Washington State are:
- Who owns the title to the property
- The source of water and whether any repairs to the system are needed
- Any structural issues, including whether there have been any leaks within the past five years
- Confirmation that all permits were obtained for any remodeling or conversion work, and that a final inspection was subsequently carried out
That said, buyers should still do their own investigating prior to purchasing a home (especially a higher-priced home). A home inspection can help guarantee that there aren’t costly issues hiding in the walls or under floorboards.
If the buyer has only a tiny inkling about a potential problem but doesn’t investigate it, the sellers will most likely win any subsequent lawsuit brought against them.
In addition, there is an environmental section at the bottom of each disclosure form. This requires the seller to disclose any history of:
- Flooding
- Standing water
- Drainage problems
- Asbestos use
- Lead-based paints
- Contaminated soil or water
Remember, if you are unsure about any of the answers on the disclosure forms — or have any queries at all — it’s always good to contact an expert home inspector who will be able to guide you.
Refinancing in Washington
Refinancing can help you lower your monthly mortgage payment when you can secure a better rate than your current loan. That’s especially important if your current mortgage payment takes up a hefty chunk of your monthly budget.
Many homeowners in Washington are eligible for “streamline” refinancing, which allows you to get a lower mortgage rate and a smaller monthly payment with the minimum fuss. Some of these programs don’t even require an appraisal or credit check.
But you can’t take cash out with a streamline refinance. If you want to walk away with a check, you’ll need a full cash-out refinance, which takes roughly the same amount of work and closing costs as your original mortgage.
A second mortgage might be a good alternative when you need cash. These typically come either as home equity loans or home equity lines of credit.
Residents of Washington face no special legal hurdles to refinancing. So you can choose the form that suits you best.