What's a low, high, and average mortgage rate in SC?

Let's take a common home buying scenario. You're buying a $393,000 single-family home with 20% down and a 730 credit score, and looking for a 30-year fixed conventional loan.

Here's what your principal and interest would look like based on today's best rates:

Rates for illustrative purposes only. Monthly payments reflect principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance, and other costs not included.

You might see some ultra-low rates advertised online, but many of these are misleading. Those teaser rates often come with hidden fees, like:

• Discount points (which you pay upfront)
• High origination or underwriting costs
• Loan terms that reset or change over time

The most honest way to compare offers? Look for a rate where the APR (annual percentage rate) is nearly equal to the interest rate — what's often called a "par rate". That's the most realistic number to judge true affordability.

Mortgage interest rates are influenced by a wide range of economic factors—from inflation and job growth to Federal Reserve policy. So, will rates fall in 2026? According to Tomo's weekly mortgage rate forecast, it's complicated—but not impossible.

As Emmanuel Santo-Donato, Tomo's Chief Market Analyst, explains, we're in a "watch-and-wait" phase where data like inflation reports, unemployment numbers, and the Fed's policy meetings play an outsized role in driving mortgage trends. When job growth cools or inflation slows faster than expected, that typically nudges rates lower. On the other hand, any signs of overheating in the economy—or global uncertainty—can push them back up.

For ongoing updates, you can subscribe to the Track Tomo Mortgage Rates tool, which tracks real changes in mortgage rates tailored to your loan scenario—so you'll know if it's time to lock in or wait.

Mortgage fees are one of the most misunderstood parts of the home loan process—and they can cost you thousands of dollars if you're not careful.

Most lenders tack on charges like origination fees, underwriting fees, and processing fees, often burying them in the fine print. At Tomo, we believe that's unnecessary. In fact, we've built our model around zero lender fees—because getting a mortgage shouldn't feel like leaving a tip just for being allowed to borrow money.

According to Tomo's mortgage lender fee analysis, the median lender fee for a conventional 30-year mortgage at major banks is $1,360. But fees can climb much higher:

• $3,000–$6,000 is common
• $10,000+ isn't unheard of, especially from brokers or lenders using aggressive pricing models

Mortgage rates have seen dramatic swings in the last several years—and understanding this history can help you make better decisions today.

Here's a look at average 30-year fixed mortgage rates in the U.S., based on public data from sources like Freddie Mac and analysis from the Tomo TrueRate:

Year / Avg 30-year fixed rate

Tomo's TrueRate data science team tracks millions of real loan offers daily to understand not just what rates are doing — but why. With rates still high by historical standards, knowing what a good or average mortgage rate looks like for your specific scenario is more important than ever.