We will not quote a rate level, since any number goes stale fast, but yes: weaker credit and riskier loan features mean paying more, often in both rate and points. A lower credit score, a smaller down payment, and a larger loan each add risk, and pricing grids charge for risk. A borrower with, say, a 625 score buying with little down should expect quotes meaningfully above the best-available rate a top-tier borrower sees, and may be quoted points on top. For a live read on where the broad market sits, use the Mortgage News Daily rate table, right here on our site at /mnd-rates, rather than a dated headline. The reason points show up so often on these files is worth understanding. Lenders would frequently rather offer a lower rate with a couple of points than a higher rate at zero points, because a borrower who has sunk real money into a buydown statistically keeps that loan longer, while a high un-bought-down rate refinances away the moment rates ease. The points are partly about retention. Our standing lean is against paying points as a default, so always ask to see the true zero-point option alongside any quote that leads with them, and decide with both in front of you. The lever you control is your credit. Improving your score before you buy moves you into better pricing tiers, and a lender can run a what-if analysis showing exactly what a higher score would save you.