We’ll have a look at what benefits there are to a fixed rate mortgage for you. We will also look into how a mortgage overpayment calculator might save you lots of cash. Security comes with the fixed rate mortgage, whereas huge savings can come with the overpayment calculator.
A fixed rate mortgage is one of the various types available. Usually for a period of several years, you get a fixed rate of interest. The interest rate you pay is locked; therefore your monthly payments are also locked.
What, if any, are the up sides to fixed rate mortgages? You benefit by not having the yo-yo effect on your monthly payments. They stay the same every month. You can plan your monthly spending easier knowing your mortgage won’t go up unexpectedly.
If the bank base interest rate starts to rise, yours will stay as it is. In the not too distant past there have been some real scary rate rises. People on variable rate mortgages are much more likely to be affected by rapid rises in interest rates.
A fixed rate mortgage could be a mistake for you under certain circumstances. Moving home in the next year or so. Having a planned or even unplanned child can be reasons to avoid fixed rate mortgages. Any sort of situation like this can cause unexpected charges by way of redemption penalties.
Fixed rate mortgages nearly always come bundled with a redemption penalty. At a time when you least need it, you could get hit with a redemption penalty. These unexpected charges can hurt. Consider carefully whether a fixed rate is the one for you.
During the term of your mortgage it’s worth considering paying a bit extra each month if your budget will stretch. It’s not set in stone that you have to pay the same minimum amount every month. You lender will not tell you it’s possible to pay extra as they prefer you just pay the minimum.
Are there any advantages to paying a bit extra each month? If you consistently pay extra in the early years of your agreement you can knock several years off the length. You can save a shedload of cash as well as knock a few years off.
What do you do with a mortgage overpayment calculator? You can enter all the relevant figures from your particular deal. You can then play around by changing the figure you can afford to overpay.
The calculator tells you how many years you will knock off. It will tell you what sort of cash lump sum you can expect to save as well. If you play around with the overpayment figure you can see that the more you overpay the more you save, in cash and years.
There are astonishing amounts of savings to be had. If you borrowed a hundred thousand at five percent over twenty five years. Making an overpayment of 50 every month will save you 12,000 and knock over 3 years off.
The last example was an overpayment of 50 every month, but what happens if you pay 100 extra. Using the same figures in the mortgage but substituting 100 extra for the previous 50 extra. This saves you more than 20,000 and knocks a respectable 6 years off the term.
Another benefit is that for the last few years of the original (25 year) term, you don’t pay anything. Being free of your mortgage chains a few years early is a definite reality if you can pay extra now. Lenders will not tell you this, they like to keep this a secret.
If we revisit the example where we knocked more than six years off the mortgage. You pay nothing more for the last 6 years of the term, which equates to about another 40 grand saved. This saving is yours as you will never need to give it to your lender as you originally planned.
We’ve looked at some of the advantages of a fixed rate mortgage. You get a good night’s sleep and regular level payments. We also had a look at a mortgage overpayment calculator and the potential savings that can be had.