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    • Foreign Currency Mortgages What Are They And What Are

      Date: 2010.02.28 | Category: Mortgage | Response: 0

      Foreign Currency Mortgages What Are They And What Are The Risks?

      99.9% of mortgage borrowers raise the money they need to buy their home in pounds sterling and pay the prevailing UK based interest rate. But it does not have to be that way..

      Whilst by its’ own historical standards, the UK’s domestic interest rates are low, they are still significantly higher than in the Eurozone, America, Switzerland and indeed, Japan. Therefore, you can currently borrow the money you need in Euros, pounds, Swiss Francs or Yen, secure the debt against your house in the UK and pay a much lower rate of interest.

      The following 3 month money market interest rates illustrate the extent to which UK interest rates are ahead of other parts of the world:

      Sterling 4.64%

      US 4.48%
      Eurozone 2.46%
      Switzerland 1.03%
      Japanese Yen 0.12%

      (Source: 3 month Money Market Rates, Financial Times, 91205)

      But don’t expect to borrow money for your mortgage at these 3 month Money market rates. You will have to pay a premium for borrowing in an overseas currency. Nevertheless, if interest rates remained as they are now, there will still be significant interest rate savings to be made.

      So why are less than 1% of UK domestic mortgages taken out in overseas currencies? The answer: there are extra risks.

      Interest rates could buck historical trends and narrow the gap between sterling based rates and the rates for the currency in which the mortgage has been borrowed. This would reduce the interest rate saving and indeed, at some stage, could make the interest rate more expensive than for a standard sterling mortgage.

      But by far the biggest risk lies’ in changes in exchange rates. If you have borrowed in say, Yen, you eventually have to repay the loan in Yen. That would be fine if the YenSterling exchange rates were frozen together but they aren’t.

      If sterling strengthened against the Yen, then you would have to convert less sterling back into yen to repay the loan than the sterling value of the money you initially borrowed. That would be great, an interest rate saving and pay back less than you borrowed. But if sterling fell against the Yen the reverse happens you end up paying back more capital than you borrowed. So in this context, an overseas mortgage becomes a currency bet that sterling will not fall against the currency you borrowed. In other words you have converted your mortgage and what is probably your biggest personal liability, into a currency speculation. And secured your home against it! You could win but it’s not for the faint at heart!

      Another point to be aware of is that you’ll need a deposit of at least 20% for your house purchase in order to qualify for a foreign currency mortgage.

      Incidentally, there is now a second option. You can take out a mortgage in sterling and have the interest rate you pay linked to a foreign interest rate. Whilst you avoid the currency exposure risk, you are still taking gamble that the overseas interest rate plus the interest rate premium you’ll have to pay, will remain lower than the UK’s domestic interest rates. These types of mortgage typically have a 5 year tie in clause. Therefore, you’ll have a hefty penalty to pay if you want to pay it off early, although the mortgage can usually be moved to another property. For some that represents an acceptable risk, especially if the mortgage is linked to the Swiss Franc interest rate which has been astonishingly low and stable over past years. For example, the interest rates in Switzerland have not moved above 1% in the last 4 years and the Eurozone interest rate has not changed in 5 years.

      Nevertheless, part of the wording for a regulated investment warning comes to mind .. past performance should not be construed as a guarantee of future performance

      You pays your money and you takes your chance.

    • Flexible Mortgage UK Mortgages to Specially Suit the Self-employed

      Date: 2010.02.14 | Category: Mortgage | Response: 0

      Flexible Mortgage UK Mortgages to Specially Suit the Self-employed

      While a person drawing a fixed salary every month finds it easy to repay loan in fixed monthly instalments, those with a fluctuating income will find it otherwise. In order to tap the potential of the latter group, which principally consists of self employed people and people whose income is largely contributed by commissions, flexible mortgages have cropped up.

      A fluctuating income makes the case of these people inappropriate for regular mortgages because of two reasons. Firstly, lenders would not prefer a borrower with fluctuating income. Secondly, the borrower with such an income structure would himself find it difficult to make timely payments.

      Flexible repayments, payment as and when you like, and the option to repay the whole of the loan at the time you want, are some of the qualities that flexible mortgages in the UK are characterised with.

      Before you perceive this as the ultimate freedom, let us remind you that not all good things come for free. This aptly holds in case of flexible mortgages. The rate of interest charged on flexible mortgages is higher than the interest charged on the regular mortgages.

      In spite of a higher rate of interest, the popularity of flexible mortgages in the UK sees no decline. Until the time an alternative to flexible mortgage comes, self-employed people will continue using it. The advantages of flexible mortgages have overshadowed its drawbacks.

      Flexibility of repayments forms one of the most important advantages of flexible mortgages. As against the traditional mortgages where borrowers are required to pay a fixed instalment every month, flexible mortgages are easy on repayment rules. Consequently, in a month when the resources are not enough or when the borrower is incapable to make repayments at the normal rate because of loss, lesser repayments will be required. Similarly, when the borrower is in the capacity to pay more than what is required, he can make an overpayment. Paying less also means paying nothing. This is actually true though hard to believe. Payment holidays form one of the prime attractions of flexible mortgages. During a payment holiday the borrowers gets exemption from making payments altogether. The exemptions will depend on the borrowers regularity in the previous months and if sufficient balance of the loan has been overpaid.

      Next in the list of advantages, is the facility to draw as many times from the amount paid. Thus,

      Since there is a constant change in the balance that is remaining to be paid, charging interest annually or monthly would be costlier for the borrower. The third advantage of flexible mortgage deals with an ingenious way to lessen the interest burden. Interest in flexible mortgages is calculated daily. The daily calculation of interest ensures that periods in which the balance unpaid is less because of overpayment does not lose on the interest.

      The list of advantages does not end here. Premature settlement of accounts is a facility that is singly available in flexible mortgages. Unless otherwise stated, mortgagees will charge a premature payment penalty. Flexible mortgages, on the other hand, allow borrowers to repay the mortgage before it is due without any penalties. A borrower who wants to escape the high interest rate will find this clause in their favour. A loan taken to meet an occasional deficit in finance will be paid as soon as the borrower receives the necessary resources.

      Depending on the credit status a borrower enjoys, he will get flexible mortgages accordingly. The application procedure of the flexible mortgage is very similar to the regular loans and mortgages. Online applications and online processing helps in accelerating the pace of approval of flexible mortgages.

    • Fixed Rate Mortgage vs. Adjustable Rate Mortgage

      Date: 2010.01.24 | Category: Mortgage | Response: 0

      The most basic distinction between types of mortgages that are available when you’re looking to finance the purchase of a new home is how the interest rate is determined. Essentially, there are two types of mortgages – fixed rate mortgage and an adjustable rate mortgage. If you choose a fixed rate mortgage, the rate of interest that you are paying on your mortgage remains the same throughout the life of the loan no matter what general interest rates are doing. In an adjustable rate mortgage, the interest rate is periodically adjusted according to an index that rises and falls with the economic times. There are advantages and disadvantages to either, and no easy answer to ‘which is better, a fixed rate mortgage or an adjustable rate mortgage?The main advantage to a fixed rate mortgage is stability. Since the interest rate remains the same over the entire course of the loan, your monthly payment is predictable. You can count on your monthly mortgage payment to be the same amount each month. On the minus side, because the lending institution gives up the chance to raise interest rates if the general interest rates rise, the interest on a fixed rate mortgage is likely to be higher than that of an adjustable rate mortgage.A fixed rate mortgage loan makes the most sense for those that are going to settle into their home for many years. While the initial payments may be larger than with an adjustable rate mortgage, stretching the payments over a longer period of time can minimize the effect on your budget.An adjustable rate is one that is adjusted periodically to take into account the rise or fall of standard interest rates. Generally, the adjustable term is annual – in other words, once a year the lending company has the right to adjust the interest rate on your mortgage in accordance with a chosen index. While adjustable rate mortgages make the most sense in a situation where interest rates are dropping, though it’s dangerous to count on a continued drop in interest rates.Lenders often offer adjustable rate mortgages with a very low first year ‘teaser’ interest rate. After the first year, though, the interest rate on your mortgage can increase by leaps and bounds. Even so, there are limits to how much an adjustable rate can actually adjust. This is dependent on the index chosen and the terms of the loan to which you agree. You may accept a loan with a 2.3% one year adjustable rate, for instance, that becomes a 4.1% adjustable rate mortgage on the first adjustment period.Finally, there’s a new kind of loan in town. A hybrid between adjustable rate mortgages and fixed rate mortgages, they’re known as ‘delayed adjustable’ mortgages. Essentially, you lock in a fixed rate of interest for a number of years – say 3 or 7 or 10. At the end of that period, the loan becomes a 1 year adjustable rate mortgage according to terms set out in the agreement you sign with the mortgage or financial institution.

    • Fixed Rate Mortgage Advice

      Date: 2010.01.17 | Category: Mortgage | Response: 0

      One of the most important decisions you will make in your financial life is which mortgage you should get. For many people, the option of a fixed rate mortgage seems appealing. But what exactly is a fixed rate mortgage, and why do so many people choose this option? If you are new to mortgages then this article will let you know a little more about fixed rate mortgages and their benefits.

      What does fixed rate mean?

      A fixed rate mortgage is fairly straightforward, and does exactly as the name suggests. A fixed rate mortgage has an interest rate that remains the same throughout the mortgage term, meaning that your monthly repayments will remain the same, allowing for inflation of course.

      Why a fixed rate mortgage?

      Many people choose fixed rate mortgages because of the security and peace of mind that they provide. If you have a fixed rate mortgage, then you know your monthly repayments will not change, meaning you can budget effectively for both the short and long term. If you have a mortgage with a variable rate of interest then your payments can change depending on market fluctuations. This can leave you paying less, but often leaves you paying more each month. The best times to get fixed rate mortgages are when competition is high, and the fixed interest rate is lower than that of the tracker or variable rate mortgages.

      Are there any drawbacks?

      There are drawbacks to getting a fixed rate mortgage. The biggest drawback is that the interest rate is usually higher than that of variable rate mortgages. The added security comes at a price, in that you have to pay more in interest over the length of the mortgage. Also, the fixed rate is usually only fixed for a certain number of years, usually 2 or 3, after which the rate can be put up and then fixed for another period. This can mean that your mortgage will be cheap now, but in the future the rate could rise.

      Who should get fixed rate?

      Despite its drawbacks, there are many people that should definitely opt for fixed rate mortgages. If you are on a tight budget and have a fixed income each month, then you cannot afford for your payments to rise. Having a fixed repayment each month means that you know you can make the payment even if national interest rates rise. Also, if you can get a deal whereby the starting interest rate is lower than that of a variable rate mortgage or even the same, then opt for the fixed rate mortgage.

      How to decide?

      If you are still unsure about whether or not a fixed rate mortgage is right for you, then consult an independent financial advisor. They will be able to help you find the best deal, as well as tell you whether or not the base interest rate is going to fall or rise. This will determine whether a fixed or variable rate mortgage is best for you.