Mortgage rate forecast: May 2026
Housing experts weigh in on what to expect for mortgage rates in May.
4 min read
Apr 30, 2026
Jeff Ostrowski
Writer and Housing Market Analyst
EXPERTISE
- Mortgages
- Mortgage refinancing
- Mortgage rate trends
- Housing market
- Real estate
EDUCATION
- Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Master of Arts, University of Illinois at Springfield
- Continuing coursework, including NMLS Mortgage Loan Originator education and MLO SAFE Test
About the author
Jeff Ostrowski has closely covered two nationwide housing booms and one devastating bust. Before joining Bankrate in 2020, he spent more than 20 years writing about real estate, business, the economy and politics. He previously worked as a reporter at the Palm Beach Post and the South Florida Business Journal.
From 2019 through 2025, Jeff served on the board of the nonprofit National Association of Real Estate Editors. He twice has won gold awards in the group’s journalism contest. His Bankrate coverage of housing affordability was also honored with a Best in Business award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.
When he’s not working, Jeff enjoys surfing, biking and traveling, usually with a surfboard or bike.
Jeff is the author of How to Buy a Home in a Miserable Market, available in paperback and e-book on Amazon.
Jeff beyond Bankrate
Jeff wants you to know
When you’re applying for a mortgage, shop around and do your homework — informed borrowers can save thousands of dollars over the life of their loan. Don’t fixate on finding the absolute perfect option, though, or timing your loan to a low point for mortgage rates. If you’re borrowing now, mortgage rates could go down in the future. Avoid worrying about all those things that are both out of your control and impossible to predict.
Jeff's latest articles
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Housing analysis: A buyer’s market is emerging in some unexpected locations
Prospective homebuyers in Texas are demanding thousands of dollars in price cuts as once-hot real estate markets cool off. It’s the same in Southwest Florida, where owners are offering to repaint their [...]
5 min read Apr 30, 2026 -
3 mortgage myths holding back aspiring homeowners
Many Americans believe the dream of homeownership is out of reach, but a Bankrate survey revealed that at least some of those frustrations may be due to misconceptions that make homeownership seem harder [...]
3 min read Apr 27, 2026 -
How to choose a mortgage lender: 5 steps
Getting the right mortgage starts with choosing the right lender.
5 min read Apr 09, 2026 -
YIMBYism gains ground: How three states are addressing the housing shortage
Before she landed an affordable apartment in the San Francisco suburb of Burlingame, Lorena Gonzalez was crashing at a relative’s house, where she shared a bedroom with her 18-year-old son. And before [...]
8 min read Mar 30, 2026 -
Mortgage rates spike as Iran conflict continues
Mortgage rates jumped again this week as the war in Iran disrupts markets.
2 min read Mar 25, 2026 -
Average mortgage debt in 2026
Mortgage debt far outpaces other forms of household debt in the U.S.
3 min read Mar 19, 2026 -
Fed holds steady, but mortgage rates still rise
Mortgage rates rose again this week, despite the Fed holding steady.
2 min read Mar 18, 2026
