Finance advice

How much will it cost to break a fixed-rate mortgage?

Posted on Thursday, 08 September 2016

With rates at record lows, more and more investors are turning to fixed rates — but if you change your mind, what sort of costs are you facing?

Blogger: Bob Korver, owner, Mortgage Choice Eight Mile PlainsEight Mile Plains, QLD Eight Mile Plains, QLD

Two cuts to the official cash rate in 2016 has helped take home loan interest rates to all-time lows.

And it is not just variable rates that are sitting at low levels. Today, most lenders are offering incredibly sharp fixed-rate pricing.

If you are looking for some certainty around your home loan repayments, then a fixed-rate home loan (or a split rate mortgage) may be the ideal solution for you.

As the name would suggest, a fixed-rate home loan is a mortgage that boasts the same fixed interest rate for the duration of your preferred fixed period.

Generally speaking, people will fix their mortgage from somewhere between one and five years, with three-year fixed-rate products being the most popular across the country.

And while there are many benefits associated with fixed-rate home loans, there are also some pitfalls associated with this type of product.

One pitfall associated with a fixed-rate mortgage is the break fee.

There are couple of ways you can be charged a break fee, namely:

If you switch to a different product and/or lender before your fixed-rate home loan term has expired;
You make additional home loan repayments in excess of the amount stipulated by your lender;
You repay your loan in full before the fixed rate term has expired;
You default on your mortgage repayments.

Depending on the size of your fixed-rate mortgage and how much time you have left in your fixed-rate loan term, a break fee can be very expensive.

Lenders will typically finance your home loan on the wholesale market with a fixed maturity date.

At the time you switch loans or repay your loan early, your lender will use the Bank Bill Swap Rate (BBSR) or BBSW to calculate your early repayment cost.

Of course, it is important to note that break fees will vary from borrower to borrower and lender to lender. As such, it is important to consult your lender before you decide to break out of your fixed-rate home loan.

If you are currently in a fixed-rate product and would like to break free from the mortgage, I can help you identify exactly how much your individual break fee might be.

I can also talk to your lender about having your break fee reduced and/or removed.

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About the Blogger

Bob Korver

Bob Korver is the owner of the Mortgage Choice Eight Mile Plains franchise in Queensland. He has more than 20 years’ experience in financial services, having held various senior positions at one of Australia’s major banks before joining Mortgage Choice in 2011.

With a Certificate IV in Financial Services and a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management, Bob is well equipped to help his customers with a wide range of enquiries, including business lending, commercial property finance, equipment finance, car loans, personal loans and home loans.

Traditionally known for providing customers with expert home loan advice, today Mortgage Choice in Eight Mile Plains is well equipped to help customers with more than their home loan needs. The franchise can also help customers with their broader financial needs, including but not limited to, commercial loans, personal loans, business lending, equipment finance and even car loans.