# Interest rates matter most to Americans choosing a mortgage lender

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/interest-rates-matter-most-to-americans-choosing-a-mortgage-lender/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

No factor outranks interest rates when Americans choose a mortgage lender, named by 70% in a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 20-25, 2025. Financial incentives or discounts follow (57%), then the speed of approval (42%).

About a third value a lender's reputation for fairness across racial and ethnic lines (35%), a quarter its online or mobile options (24%), and one-in-five its support for sustainable housing (20%); 6% name none of these.

## Topline

Which of the following factors would you consider most important when choosing a mortgage lender during the home buying process?

Interest rates matter most to Americans choosing a mortgage lender.

Respondents could select more than one option, so shares may sum to more than 100%.

- Interest rates: 70.1%
- Financial incentives or discounts (e.g. lower fees, down payment assistance): 56.8%
- Approval process speed: 42.4%
- Lender's reputation for fairness in dealing with applicants of different races or ethnicities: 34.9%
- Availability of online or mobile application options: 24.4%
- Lender's reputation for supporting sustainable or climate-conscious housing practices: 19.6%
- None of the above: 5.9%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults
- Field dates: 2025-08-20 → 2025-08-25
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.1%
- Module: ASA Omnibus Survey
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/asa-2025#mortgage-lender-decision](https://reports.verasight.io/r/asa-2025#mortgage-lender-decision)

## Citation

ASA Omnibus Survey, fielded August 20-25, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/asa-2025#mortgage-lender-decision](https://reports.verasight.io/r/asa-2025#mortgage-lender-decision)