| A message from The Ascent, a Motley Fool Service In case you hadn’t heard, mortgage rates have been having a moment. Over the last two years, rates have hit historic lows that have, in turn, created a scorching hot housing market with low levels of housing inventory, high levels of interest from buyers, and a flood of mortgage refinancing. And even though rates are starting to climb back up, they’re still relatively low. So, if you want to take advantage of these low rates before they climb too high, particularly with inflation on the rise, you’ll want to find a lender who can help you secure the best rate possible -- as quickly as possible. That’s where this expert pick mortgage lender comes in. You can get pre-approved in as little as 3 minutes, with no hard credit check, and lock your rate at any time -- which, in a volatile market, is incredibly valuable. Especially if you’re looking to move at the speed of today’s market, aka lightning. Another plus? They don’t charge origination or lender fees, which helps you keep your costs down (especially if you’re refinancing). A great perk when other costs in life are skyrocketing. This lender is so good, in fact, that our independent financial experts ranked it as the Best Mortgage Lender Overall as a part of our 2022 Best-of Awards. If you’re looking to hop on that home-owning train, or refinance your existing loan, why not take a few minutes, check out our full expert review and then see what you can get pre-approved for with this top lender. | 
