An analysis released by Realtor.com and distributed via PRNewswire on Oct. 23, 2025, finds that comparing lenders can yield substantial lifetime savings for homeowners: up to $44,000 over the life of a 30-year mortgage. The study, based on a dataset of nearly 2 million loans, also highlights that higher credit scores and bigger down payments significantly influence mortgage pricing, allowing borrowers to partially offset swings in market rates.

The dataset’s scale gives the results statistical heft. Mortgage pricing is determined by a mix of market-rate movements, lender pricing strategies and borrower risk profiles. Realtor.com’s analysis points to two actionable areas where consumers can exert control: the lender they choose and the strength of their financial profile. While market interest rates are set by macroeconomic forces and monetary policy, the spread in offers across lenders means consumers face divergent lifetime costs even when nominal rates look similar.

From a market perspective, the findings suggest persistent frictions in price transparency and competition in mortgage markets. If typical household decisions can generate savings measured in tens of thousands of dollars, search costs, limited consumer sophistication and inconsistent fee disclosure are likely keeping many borrowers from optimal outcomes. For lenders, increased consumer attention to shopping could intensify price competition on rates and origination fees, compressing margins for higher-cost providers and rewarding those that streamline pricing and underwriting.

The analysis also underscores the role of borrower fundamentals. Better credit scores and larger down payments reduce lender-perceived risk and can lead to lower interest rates or more favorable loan terms. Over a 30-year horizon small differences in rate translate into large differences in cumulative interest paid, amplifying initial credit and down-payment advantages into long-term wealth effects. For prospective buyers, particularly first-time buyers who tend to have lower savings and thinner credit histories, these dynamics can materially affect access to homeownership and long-run net worth accumulation.

Policy implications are clear. Regulators and consumer advocates have long argued for greater transparency in mortgage pricing, simpler disclosures and tools that enable apples-to-apples comparisons. The Realtor.com findings add empirical weight to calls for improved shopping aids and borrower education, as well as scrutiny of fee structures that can obscure true cost differences. In markets where affordability is already strained by elevated rates and high home prices, improving consumer ability to shop effectively could be a low-cost mechanism to bolster purchasing power for many households.

For investors and housing market watchers, this study is a reminder that structural features of mortgage markets — not just headline policy rates — drive household costs and demand. As lenders adjust to competitive pressures and as policymakers debate consumer protections, the extent to which borrowers shop and strengthen their financial profiles will continue to shape the housing market’s path and the distribution of wealth tied to homeownership.