Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
36%
8 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
CBS News's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
56
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Now at a range between 3.75% and 4.00%, the central bank is attempting to rein in inflation after it has remained stubbornly above the Fed's target 2% goal in recent months.
asserted
it → attempt → months
And the hike could be the first of a series instead of an anomaly, especially if unemployment remains steady and inflation continues to tick up.
uncertain
inflation → remain → series
This will have a ripple effect for millions of savers and borrowers, the latter of whom have already been contending with elevated costs on everyday goods and services, not to mention loans and .
asserted
latter → have → goods
But where does it leave now and in the days and weeks still to come?by more than a full percentage point in 2025 after hitting their .
asserted
it → leave → their
And they hovered earlier this year before geopolitical tensions caused inflation to spike and interest rates to follow.
asserted
rates → hover → ?
At the same time, locking in a mortgage rate today could be the smart move, if only to protect against any upward movement still ahead.
uncertain
locking → lock → movement
To determine the value of doing so, however, it helps to know where mortgage interest rates stand now, the day following the first Fed rate hike in years.
asserted
rates → determine → years
Below, we'll detail everything borrowers need to know to make an informed decision.
asserted
borrowers → detail → decision
The average mortgage interest rate on a 30-year mortgage purchase is 7.37% as of September 17, 2026, according to Zillow.
uncertain
rate → accord → Zillow
That's about in line with what they were in August 2023, following the Fed's last rate hike, when the average sat at 7.31%.
asserted
average → follow → %
And it's almost two full percentage points above where it sat , when the average rate for a 30-year term was just 5.75%.
asserted
rate → sit → term
At the same time, there are multiple ways in which borrowers can secure rates below this average, perhaps to a significant degree, if they go into the process with a
, a high down payment and the flexibility to use alternatives like .
asserted
they → be → alternatives
Adding to any offer can also help.
asserted
Adding → add → offer
So don't discount today's rates in total until you take the time to shop around and thoroughly explore your options.
asserted
you → discount → options
The average mortgage refinance rate on a 30-year term is 7.41% as of September 17, 2026, according to Zillow.
uncertain
rate → accord → Zillow
On the same March date noted above, these rates were just 6.47% and 5.48%, respectively.
asserted
rates → note → date
So refinancing could be out of consideration for a slew of current homeowners.
uncertain
refinancing → refinance → homeowners
That said, while the conventional wisdom dictates that refinancing is only worth it for those who can secure a
their current one, it may also be valuable for those who can secure than what they're currently paying.
uncertain
they → say → what
The decision to refinance, then, will be a personal one based on your financial circumstances, budget and interpretation of where mortgage interest rates could be heading in the near term.
uncertain
rates → refinance → term
These rates are all considerably higher than they were earlier this year and markedly higher than where many borrowers would prefer them to sit.
asserted
them → prefer → ?
But the decision to buy or refinance shouldn't be dismissed until borrowers take the time to crunch the numbers.
asserted
borrowers → buy → numbers
What may look unaffordable on paper may actually be able to fit your budget, allowing you to proceed with your homebuying or refinancing plans, as imperfect as they may be after Wednesday's Fed rate hike.
uncertain
they → look → hike