Overview of New York Mortgages
Whether they spend weekends in New York City, hike the Adirondacks or catch some fresh air at Niagara Falls, New York residents have plenty to enjoy about living in the Empire State. If you’re hoping to buy a home here, historical New York mortgage rates are very close to, or even slightly below, national averages. The state's counties’ conforming loan and FHA limits stick to the standards, except for a handful of counties whose limits jump fairly high in areas close to the Big Apple.
| Product | Today | Last Week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 year fixed | 7.75% | 7.75% | 0.00 |
| 15 year fixed | 5.38% | 5.38% | 0.00 |
| 5/1 ARM | 5.50% | 5.88% | -0.38 |
| 30 yr fixed mtg refi | 7.75% | 7.75% | 0.00 |
| 15 yr fixed mtg refi | 7.13% | 7.25% | -0.13 |
| 7/1 ARM refi | 6.25% | 6.13% | +0.13 |
| 15 yr jumbo fixed mtg refi | 4.00% | 3.63% | +0.38 |
National Mortgage Rates
| Lender | APR | Payment |
| Searching for Mortgages...  |
Historical Mortgage Rates in New York
New York Mortgage Rates Quick Facts
- Median Home Value: $368,800 (U.S. Census Bureau)
- Loan Funding Rate: 60.21% (CFPB)
- Homeownership Rate: 53.6% (St. Louis Fed)
- Median Monthly Homeownership Costs: $2,267 (U.S. Census Bureau)
New York is home to the most populous city in the country, countless precious U.S. landmarks and multiple mountain ranges. More than 20 million people call New York home, with more than eight million residing in the southern part of the state in the Greater New York City area. This region is one of the nation’s hottest hubs for real estate and purchasing your own piece of the city can be incredibly competitive and costly.
New York mortgage rates are slightly lower than or right on target with the national average.
A financial advisor in New York can help you plan for the homebuying process. Financial advisors can also help with investing and financial plans, including tax, retirement and estate planning, to make sure you are preparing for the future.
*The FHFA stopped reporting new data in 2018.
New York Mortgages Overview
New York home values vary widely depending on where in the Empire State you want to lay down roots. The median home in the state is valued at $368,800. Homes in New York City are typically valued at much more, whereas other areas of the state like Syracuse, Rochester or Albany tend to have lower median home values.
Regardless of where you hope to settle down, it’s wise to set a budget of how much money you can afford to allocate on your monthly mortgage payment. You also may want to consider getting preapproved for a home loan from a lender. Taking that first step toward a home loan helps streamline the homebuying process.
The conforming limits for the majority of New York counties are the standard $726,200, but some do reach $1,089,300. More specifically, these are all five of New York City’s counties (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond), as well as Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester. You can expect higher-than-average real estate prices in these areas.
The state’s FHA loan limits follow suit. A total of 10 counties have FHA limits of $1,089,300, with the rest sitting at the baseline of $472,030.
Buyers in the Empire State need to be somewhat vigilant - the New York real estate tradition is “caveat emptor,” or “buyer beware.” That means that laws are lax on what property information sellers need to disclose. There is an enormous demand for New York real estate, particularly in New York City, and there are plenty of buyers waiting for every sale.
Regardless of that pressure, it’s critical that homebuyers take the time to book a thorough home inspection. That being said, there are certain disclosures that New York sellers need to report, including environmental conditions like lead paint or contaminated water. But those disclosures are hardly an exhaustive list, so a quality home inspection will help you attend your closing with peace of mind.
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates in New York
If you are hoping to become a homeowner in New York state and you plan to stay put in your new residence for awhile, you will likely end up with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. This tried-and-true home loan option gives owners 30 years to pay off the loan (unless they make prepayments or refinance) and the interest rate remains the same for the entirety of the loan’s life. Fixed-rate mortgages are also available as a 15-year loan but the monthly payments are higher, because you are paying off the same amount of money in a shorter period of time.
The average New York rate for a fixed 30-year mortgage is 5.83% (Zillow, Jan. 2023).
New York Jumbo Loan Rates
New York county conforming loan limits are mostly $726,200, but certain counties do get up to the highest limit of $1,089,300. The variation reflects the higher home prices in certain parts of the state. Jumbo loans are those that exceed an individual county’s conforming loan limit. So in counties with high real estate prices where the conforming limit jumps to $1,089,300, you have additional room to take out a bigger loan without it being considered a jumbo loan. If you do need a jumbo loan in order to make your New York real estate dreams a reality, you should be aware that they are accompanied by higher interest rates as it's a larger risk for the lender. However, jumbo loan rates are currently lower than fixed rates in New York.
The average 30-year fixed jumbo loan rate in New York is 6.49% (Zillow, Jan. 2023).
New York ARM Loan Rates
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) stands in contrast to a fixed-rate mortgage. While your interest rate is locked in with a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate on an ARM changes over the course of the loan. Usually, an ARM will have a lower interest rate than a fixed-rate mortgage for an introductory period of one, three, five, seven or 10 years.
Once that initial period has ended, the interest rate can change, which typically means it increases. How often the rate can “adjust” and the highest possible level that it can reach are specified in the terms of the loan, so it is crucial to assess the terms carefully to make sure that they fit within your budget.
The average rate for a 5/1 ARM in New York is 5.33% (Zillow, Jan. 2023).
New York Mortgage Resources
The Empire State has some valuable resources for its homebuyers. The State of New York Mortgage Agency offers five mortgage programs with low down payment requirements, competitive interest rates, home rehabilitation funding and no prepayment penalties. These mortgages are available for qualifying first-time homebuyers.
The New York State Association of REALTORS and The Community Foundation have paired up to offer $2,000 grants for first-time homebuyers in New York. Applicants must apply for the grant.
For Big Apple buyers, the NYC Housing Preservation & Development agency provides down payment assistance of up to $100,000 for first-time homebuyers. It also offers a First-time Property Buyers course to help buyers learn about the purchasing process.
The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development offers a program for rural communities in New York state. The USDA offers loans and grants for qualifying people who are in the market for a new home as well as those planning to repair their current home.
New York Mortgage Taxes
Be prepared to pay realty transfer taxes in New York. The rates are $2 per $500 for up to $1 million, plus an additional 1% for anything over $1 million. Some counties may charge more.
The base mortgage recording tax for the state is $0.50 per $100, but in New York City it can get as high as $1.75 per $100. The realty transfer in NYC is 1.425% to 2.625% based on a home value of plus or minus $500,000. In general, the seller is responsible for these charges but it will ultimately depend on your contract.
If you own a home in New York and you itemize deductions on your federal and state income taxes, you can deduct the mortgage interest that you pay throughout the year from your taxable income. Because New Yorkers pay more for real estate overall, Empire State residents stand to gain quite a bit from this perk.
New York Mortgage Refinance
New York homeowners who want to refinance have a wide variety of lenders to work with. Furthermore, although the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) is no longer available, Fannie Mae created the High Loan-to-Value Refinance Option as an alternative.