First determine whether your mortgage rate is actually locked. A preapproval is a lender’s tentative willingness to lend, not a guaranteed rate or final loan offer. Check page one of your Loan Estimate and any separate lock agreement for the rate, lock status, expiration date and conditions. If the rate is floating, ask whether you can lock now and at what cost. If it is locked, verify the expiration and extension rules, then ask about a float-down if rates later fall. If the payment no longer fits your budget, compare equivalent Loan Estimates from other lenders without losing sight of your closing deadline.
Start by finding out what actually changed
Call or message the lender and ask for three figures in writing: the rate you were quoted, the rate now being offered and the date or event that changed the pricing. A higher monthly payment can result from more than a market-rate move. Points, lender credits, fees, the loan type, loan amount, down payment, credit profile, income documentation, appraisal or property details may have changed the transaction.
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Your preapproval letter alone does not establish that any rate was reserved. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) describes a preapproval as tentative, based on assumptions and not a guaranteed loan offer. Read the CFPB’s explanation of preapprovals at Get a preapproval letter, and ask the lender which assumptions still apply to your application.
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| Document or status | What it tells you | What it does not guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Preapproval letter | The lender is tentatively willing to lend, based on stated information and assumptions. | A specific interest rate, final approval, appraisal result or closing date. |
| Loan Estimate | The proposed loan terms and costs. Page one states whether the rate is locked and, if so, until when. | That the terms cannot change under every circumstance. |
| Rate-lock agreement | The agreed rate, points or credits, lock period and conditions for keeping the pricing. | Protection after expiration or after material changes to the application. |
| Closing Disclosure | The final terms and costs you are scheduled to sign for. | That a discrepancy is acceptable without an explanation tied to the written terms. |
Use the CFPB’s Loan Estimate guidance to locate the lock information. If the rate is not locked, the CFPB says it can change at any time. If it is locked, the CFPB defines the protection as lasting between the offer and closing only when you close within the stated period and there are no changes to your application; see What’s a lock-in or a rate lock on a mortgage?.
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Check the Loan Estimate and lock terms line by line
- Confirm the lock status on page one. Record the interest rate, whether it is locked or floating, the expiration date and the loan product.
- Match the locked terms to the transaction. Verify that the lock covers the property, loan amount, down payment, occupancy and product you are actually pursuing. A change from, for example, one loan type to another can produce new pricing.
- Read every condition. Ask which changes could reprice the loan, including a different appraisal, a credit change, a loan-to-value change, a change in income documentation or an inability to document income.
- Check points and credits. A rate can look unchanged while the cost of obtaining it changes. Compare discount points, lender credits and total loan costs, not just the note rate.
- Save the documents. Keep the dated Loan Estimate, lock confirmation, emails and revised disclosures in one file so you can compare them with the Closing Disclosure.
The CFPB’s general guidance says lenders commonly offer locks for 30, 45 or 60 days, sometimes longer. Those are general ranges, not a promise that your lender offers a particular period or price.
If your rate is floating, decide whether to lock now
A floating rate moves with market pricing until the lender locks it. Ask the loan officer these questions before authorizing a lock:
- What lock periods are available, and what rate or points apply to each?
- When does the lock start and exactly when does it expire?
- Is the quoted price for the same loan amount, product, occupancy and down payment shown on my Loan Estimate?
- What is the cost of extending the lock, and who pays if processing delays the closing?
- Can the lock be changed or cancelled, and what happens to points or lender credits?
- Is a float-down available if market rates fall, what event triggers it, and is there a fee?
Locking removes the risk of a further increase during the lock period, but it also limits your ability to benefit from a decline unless the lender offers a float-down. Policies differ, so obtain the answers in writing. Freddie Mac explains the trade-off in Why You Should Consider a Rate Lock-In.
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Compare the lock expiration date with the lender’s current underwriting, appraisal and closing schedule. Do not wait until the final day to raise a timing problem. Ask for a written status of remaining conditions and the date the lender expects to be ready to close.
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When closing may occur before expiration
Continue satisfying conditions exactly as requested, avoid taking on new credit and promptly provide documents. A change in debt, income, assets or credit can require re-underwriting and may affect pricing even during a lock.
When closing may occur after expiration
Ask about an extension, its daily or fixed fee, whether a longer lock is available and what rate applies if the lock expires. Ask what happens if the delay is caused by the lender, the seller, the appraisal or a missing borrower document. Do not assume an extension is free or automatic.
When rates have fallen since you locked
Ask whether a float-down exists and request its written trigger, timing, eligible products, minimum rate improvement and cost. Some locks have no float-down, and the CFPB cautions that a lock can prevent you from taking advantage of lower rates later.
Recalculate affordability using the real proposed payment
Replace the preapproval ceiling with a payment based on the current rate and actual loan amount. Include principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance where applicable, association dues and any lender-required escrow. Also account for cash needed at closing and reserves. A rate increase may make the same price unaffordable even when you remain technically approved.
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Run at least two scenarios: the payment at the current written terms and the payment if the rate rises again before a floating loan is locked or if an extension uses a higher price. Decide in advance which payment, cash-to-close amount and reserve level you will not exceed. If the numbers fail that test, options include a lower purchase price, a larger down payment, a different loan product or delaying the purchase; each can change qualification and must be re-underwritten.
Compare another lender without comparing apples to oranges
If the current offer no longer works, request Loan Estimates from other lenders for the same loan type, term, loan amount, occupancy and down payment. The CFPB’s choose-a-loan-offer guidance recommends evaluating the complete offer. Use this checklist:
| Comparison item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Interest rate and APR | The note rate affects payment; APR incorporates certain loan costs and helps reveal pricing differences. |
| Points and lender credits | Points raise upfront cost to obtain a lower rate; credits reduce closing costs but may come with a higher rate. |
| Origination and other lender fees | A lower rate can be offset by higher fees. |
| Lock status, length and expiration | A quote that is not locked may change before you can close. |
| Extension terms and float-down | These determine your exposure if the closing date moves or rates decline. |
| Estimated payment | Compare principal, interest, taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance using the same assumptions. |
| Closing readiness | Remaining underwriting conditions, appraisal timing and the lender’s ability to meet your contract date may outweigh a small rate difference. |
Use the CFPB’s request-and-review multiple Loan Estimates guidance to organize the offers. Ask each lender to identify which figures are locked, which are estimates and what could change.
Should you switch lenders?
Switching can produce better pricing, but a new lender generally restarts verification, appraisal coordination, underwriting and document collection. The CFPB warns that changing lenders can delay or endanger closing because the process starts over. Compare the savings with the days remaining before your contract deadline and the cost of any new appraisal or other fees.
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- Obtain the competing Loan Estimate and confirm the rate is locked or learn the exact lock procedure.
- Ask the new lender for a written underwriting and closing timeline, including appraisal availability.
- Tell the current lender you are evaluating alternatives and ask whether it can match the competing terms or provide a lower-cost extension.
- Confirm with the seller, real-estate agent and settlement provider whether a changed closing date is permitted and what notice is required.
- Do not withdraw the existing application until the replacement lender has accepted the application, verified basic eligibility and demonstrated a credible path to close.
A HUD-certified housing counselor can help you compare Loan Estimates and assess affordability. Counseling is separate from the lender and may be useful when the choice involves a tight budget or a potential closing delay.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if a locked rate changes
A locked rate and points generally should not change, but the written lock terms and application facts control. Compare the rate, points and credits on the Closing Disclosure with the Loan Estimate and lock confirmation. Then ask the lender, in writing, to identify:
- the exact term in the lock agreement that permits the change;
- the event that occurred, such as an expired lock, changed loan amount, different loan product, appraisal issue or newly documented credit or income information;
- the date the lender learned of that event; and
- the corrected rate, points, credits and payment, with an updated disclosure.
The CFPB addresses discrepancies between a Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure at What do I do if the rate or fees are different on my Closing Disclosure?. The page was last reviewed September 11, 2024; lender practices and your contract should be confirmed for the current transaction.
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A practical decision path
Choose a lock now
This is usually the clearest response when your rate is floating, the payment remains affordable and the expected closing fits comfortably inside the available lock period.
Keep the current lock and seek an extension
This may be preferable when underwriting is nearly complete and switching would risk the contract, provided the extension cost and revised payment remain acceptable.
Negotiate or switch
Request a competing, equivalent Loan Estimate and ask the current lender to respond. Switch only after weighing documented savings against restart time and closing risk.
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If no financing option meets your payment and cash limits, revisit the purchase price, down payment or closing date rather than relying on an approval amount that no longer reflects current pricing.
Questions to ask your lender today
- Is my rate locked, and where is that stated in my Loan Estimate or lock agreement?
- What are the exact expiration date, extension fee and consequences of expiration?
- Does the lock cover my final property, loan amount, product and down payment?
- What application changes could reprice the loan?
- Is a float-down available, and what are its written conditions?
- What is the current estimated payment and cash to close, including taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance?
- What underwriting conditions and closing tasks remain, and can they be completed before expiration?
- If the Closing Disclosure differs, which written term or event explains the difference?
The CFPB’s lock guidance page was last reviewed May 2, 2023, and its disclosures guidance was last reviewed September 11, 2024. Those pages explain the framework, but your lender’s current written terms determine your transaction. Keep the documents together and make decisions from the locked or documented figures, not from the original preapproval ceiling.
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