If you are a first time buyer in Cambridge or are looking at moving home in Cambridge, you will know that several forms of mortgages are available. Some of them are more common than others, and some may even be difficult to find. We have assembled a list of some of the most common forms of mortgages. You will also find one of our MoneymanTV episodes useful for learning more about these.
What is a Fixed-Rate Mortgage?
A fixed-rate mortgage means that for a specified time, the mortgage rates will remain the same. You should decide your period, usually 2, 3, or 5 years or more, for your payments. You know your mortgage balance will typically be the largest outstanding one, regardless of inflation, interest rates, or the economy.
What is a Tracker Mortgage?
Your interest-rate shall track the base rate of the Bank of England by using a tracker mortgage. In other words, the lender does not fix the rate itself. You pay a sum above the base rate of the Bank of England. An example of this is where the basic rate is 1%, and you are tracking at 1% more than the basic rate, you pay 2%.
What is a Repayment Mortgage?
If you carry out a repayment mortgage, you pay capital and interest together every month. So long as you carry the full term of the interest loan, you will pay the mortgage debt at the end, and the property shall be yours. This is the risk-free way of paying the lender back the money.
The interest you are paying in the early years, and particularly with a period of 25, 30, or 35 years, your balance would decrease very slowly. In the last 10 years or so, this scenario changes, where your payments pay more capital than interest and your balance falls even faster.
What is an Interest-Only Mortgage?
While some transactions allow mortgages on an interest-only basis, residential property is even more difficult to obtain on an interest-only basis. Lenders are also less likely to sell a product that is interest-only. However, it may be an alternative under some conditions.
This involves reducing the amount of money you pay out as you’re older or have other savings. When it comes to offering these items, lenders are very strict now, and the valuation loan is much smaller than before.
What is an Offset Mortgage?
You can build a savings account alongside your mortgage account for an offset mortgage. How this works, is you pay interest on the difference, for example, you pay £80,000 for the balance of £100,000, and £20,000 is deposited in your bank account. This can be a very successful way to manage your capital.
Date Last Edited: December 6, 2023
