What mortgage rate should I use to estimate affordability in 2026?

The right mortgage rate to use is whatever your own lender is actually quoting you today, not a headline national average, since real rates vary by credit score, loan program and lock period. Using a rate that is outdated by even a few weeks can make a home look affordable or unaffordable when it is not. Brian Beatty connects buyers with a local South Carolina lender who can run a current, personalized affordability number before house hunting begins.