At this point, I’m leaning toward just locking in when things feel right. The peace of mind is hard to put a price on, especially when rates seem to change every time you blink.
Honestly, I think you’re onto something here. I’ve chased those “just a few more points” dreams before and the payoff was barely noticeable. Unless you’re right at the edge of a credit tier—like, literally a couple points away from a big rate drop—it’s usually not worth the stress. Rates move so fast these days, waiting can backfire. Sometimes good enough really is good enough.
I’ve seen clients wait months for their score to nudge up, only to watch rates climb in the meantime. It’s a tough call. Sometimes the stress of chasing that “perfect” number just isn’t worth it, unless you’re right on the edge of a better rate bracket. I get wanting to optimize, but there’s something to be said for locking in when you feel comfortable and just moving forward.
I hear you on this. I’ve been in that spot where you’re obsessing over every point on your credit score, thinking it’ll make a huge difference, but then rates creep up and you’re back to square one—or worse. It’s like chasing your tail sometimes. I get wanting to save every dollar, but unless you’re literally a few points away from a major rate drop, the stress and waiting game just don’t add up for me.
Honestly, I’d rather lock in a decent rate now than gamble on both my score and the market moving in my favor. The “perfect” scenario rarely lines up in real life. Plus, there’s always something else that could pop up—unexpected expenses, changes at work, whatever. At some point, you just have to pull the trigger and move forward. Waiting for perfection can cost more than it saves, especially if rates jump while you’re sitting on the sidelines.
I've seen this play out with a lot of clients over the years. Folks get laser-focused on bumping their score from, say, 738 to 740, thinking it’ll unlock some magical rate. Sometimes it does, but the reality is, lenders usually work in broader credit tiers—like 700-739, 740-759, and so on. Unless you’re right at the edge of a tier, stressing over a handful of points doesn’t always translate into real savings.
One couple I worked with last year waited three months trying to nudge their scores up for a better refi deal. By the time they hit their target, rates had ticked up enough that any savings from the higher score just vanished. They were pretty frustrated.
Life’s unpredictable, too. Job changes, surprise expenses...it all adds up. If your score’s already solid and you’re not right on the cusp of a new tier, sometimes it’s smarter to just lock in what you can, rather than gamble on both your score and the market moving in your favor. There’s rarely a “perfect” moment—just a good enough one.
Had a client last month who was stuck at 736, just itching to hit 740 for their refi. We ran the numbers and, honestly, the difference in payment was less than $10 a month. Meanwhile, rates were creeping up. They decided to lock in, and a week later, rates jumped again. Sometimes, chasing those last few points just isn’t worth the stress—or the risk of missing a better rate window. Timing really does matter more than perfection sometimes.
