How does my credit utilization affect the mortgage rate I'm offered?

Your credit score drives your mortgage rate, and utilization — how much of your available credit you're using — is one of the biggest score factors. High balances relative to limits can pull your score down enough to bump you into a worse rate tier, costing you meaningfully over a 30-year loan. Before applying, pay down card balances to get utilization low, ideally under 30% and better under 10%, and avoid opening or closing accounts or making big purchases that trigger hard inquiries. Even a 20-point score improvement can shift your rate. Don't co-sign or run up cards during underwriting either. See how actions move your score at wealthserene.com/tools/mortgage-credit-impact before you lock a rate.