Variable rate home loans Vs Fixed interest home loans

There are pros and cons with each type of loan. With fixed interest home loans you have a fixed interest rate over a set period of time so you have some certainty about how much your mortgage repayments will be. A typical fixed interest home loan will allow you to fix the interest rate for a term of one to five years. If interest rates increase, you will be protected from these rises. However, if they decrease you will not enjoy the lower rates. Also, a fixed interest home loan may not offer the same level of flexibility and extra features as a variable home loan. There may also be extra costs should you wish to payout the fixed interest home loan before the fixed rate period expires.

Many variable home loans offer a cheque book, a redraw facility, the ability to transfer your home loan to another property (which can also be done with most fixed interest home loans) and to make extra lump sum mortgage repayments. With variable home loans your mortgage repayments will rise and fall depending on current interest rates.

If you’re uncertain about whether you should take up a fixed interest home loan or go with a variable home loan, you can ‘take a bet each way’ and split your mortgage so that a portion is fixed and the rest is variable. If you choose this option find out if there are any extra costs involved.