About Clear Mortgage Tracker
Cutting through the complexity of mortgages to help you make smarter decisions with confidence.
The mortgage industry is notoriously opaque. Rates vary by source, market news is scattered across dozens of sites, and most people have no idea if they're seeing a good rate or not.
We built Clear Mortgage Tracker to change that. We consolidate mortgage rates, housing market data, and financial news into one clear view — so you can stop guessing and start deciding.
Our mission is to empower everyday people — first-time homebuyers, refinancers, and market watchers — with the clarity and tools they need to make confident mortgage decisions. No jargon, no hidden agendas, just transparent information when you need it.
What We Offer
Rate Visibility
Current mortgage rates from multiple authoritative sources including Optimal Blue (OBMMI), the Federal Reserve, and CFPB — all in one place.
Market Context
Housing market news and local market data help you understand not just what rates are, but when and where it makes sense to buy.
Decision Tools
Our mortgage calculator breaks down exactly what you'll pay monthly, including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.
Timing Intelligence
Historical rate trends help you understand when rates are favorable, so you can make informed decisions about timing.
Who We Help
First-Time Homebuyers
Navigating mortgages for the first time? We break down the complexity so you understand exactly what you're getting into.
Refinancers
Watching for the right moment to refinance? Track rate trends and get alerts when rates drop to your target.
Market Watchers
Keeping an eye on housing conditions in specific areas? Our location-based market data gives you the full picture.
Trusted Data Sources
We don't make up numbers. Our data comes from authoritative sources:
Federal Reserve
FRED Economic Data
CFPB
Consumer Financial Protection
Optimal Blue
OBMMI Daily Rate Locks
Our Methodology
Transparency is at the core of what we do. Here is exactly how we collect, process, and present mortgage rate data so you can trust what you see.
How We Collect Rate Data
We pull mortgage rate data from four sources: the Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (OBMMI) via FRED, the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) API, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Zillow. OBMMI provides daily rates based on actual rate locks covering approximately 35% of U.S. mortgage transactions. FRED and CFPB both ultimately derive their mortgage rate data from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), a weekly survey of lenders. By displaying data from multiple sources, you can compare daily lock-based rates alongside weekly survey averages.
How We Aggregate
OBMMI serves as our primary data source for headline rates because it provides daily rates based on actual mortgage rate locks. FRED and CFPB data is used for cross-referencing and comparison, allowing you to see how different authoritative sources report on the same rate products. When sources report different values, we display each source individually on our comparison page so you can evaluate the data yourself rather than relying on a single blended number.
Data Freshness
Our systems automatically fetch updated mortgage rates every 4 hours from all four rate sources. Housing market data from Redfin and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is refreshed daily using smart detection that checks whether sources have published new data before downloading. Mortgage and housing news is aggregated from curated RSS feeds every 30 minutes. These schedules ensure you are seeing near-real-time information without unnecessary load on public data infrastructure.
Limitations
The rates displayed on Clear Mortgage Tracker are national averages derived from federal survey data. They represent broad market conditions and do not reflect the specific rate you would receive from a lender. Your actual mortgage rate depends on many individual factors including your credit score, down payment amount, loan-to-value ratio, property type, property location, and the lender you choose. Additionally, because rates are fetched on a 4-hour cycle, there may be a delay of up to 4 hours between a rate change at the source and what is displayed on our site. Always verify current rates directly with lenders before making financial decisions.
Rates We Track
30-Year Fixed Rate
The most popular mortgage with stable payments over 30 years. Best for long-term homeowners who want predictable payments.
15-Year Fixed Rate
Lower rates with higher payments. Pay off your home faster and save significantly on total interest paid.
5/1 Adjustable Rate (ARM)
Fixed rate for 5 years, then adjusts annually. Often has lower initial rates — ideal if you plan to move or refinance within 5 years.
About Our Team
Clear Mortgage Tracker is built by a mission-driven team focused on bringing transparency to the mortgage industry. Our content is written by mortgage industry researchers who specialize in making complex financial topics accessible to everyday homebuyers and homeowners.
Every piece of information on this site is reviewed for accuracy against authoritative sources and updated regularly to reflect current market conditions. We cross-reference data from Optimal Blue, the Federal Reserve, and CFPB to ensure what you see is reliable and consistent.
We believe everyone deserves access to clear, unbiased mortgage rate information — regardless of whether they are a first-time buyer researching their options or a seasoned homeowner watching for the right moment to refinance. That belief drives every feature we build and every article we publish.
Important Disclaimer
Clear Mortgage Tracker provides information for educational purposes only. We are not a mortgage lender, mortgage broker, or financial advisor. We do not provide personalized financial advice, loan offers, or rate quotes.
The mortgage rates displayed on this site are aggregated from public data sources — including Optimal Blue (OBMMI), the Federal Reserve (FRED), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — and represent national averages. Your actual mortgage rate may differ significantly based on your credit profile, loan amount, down payment, property type, property location, loan program, and the specific lender you work with.
Nothing on this website should be construed as financial advice or a recommendation to obtain, refinance, or modify a mortgage. Always consult with a licensed mortgage professional or qualified financial advisor before making any financial decisions. For full details, please review our Terms of Service.