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Paying off a mortgage? Here’s six ways to pay off your home loan early

July 22, 2021

So you’ve purchased a home!


You’ve achieved the fantastic milestone of owning property - and taking on a mortgage. 

As you would already be aware - this is a huge responsibility. Paying off your mortgage early will save you thousands of dollars. 


While each mortgage is different - there is no reason you can't pay it off early. 


Sometimes the loan you choose can impact how easy that’s going to be. So it is worth investigating your options with the institution you have borrowed through. 


It will come down to whether you have a fixed or variable rate. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. A variable rate is more flexible, letting you make unlimited extra repayments at no cost.


A fixed rate locks in the interest rate for a while - providing a certain degree of security. However, there is generally a cap on the extra repayments you can make. But don’t despair! Once the fixed term ends, you can roll it over to a variable rate and make extra repayments, if you wish.


Here are some steps to paying off your mortgage early.


Extra repayments go a long way


Making additional repayments on your mortgage can reduce your loan term by years - and therefore save you thousands in interest.


If you look at a standard 25-year principal and interest mortgage, a majority of your payments during the first five to eight years go towards paying off interest. So anything extra you put in during that time will reduce the amount of interest you pay and shorten the life of your loan.


You should approach your lender and have a discussion about your options here. In particular, ask if there's a fee for making extra repayments.


Get a better deal


Have a good look at your current loan. Work out which features you want to keep, and compare the interest rates on similar loans. 


If you find a better rate elsewhere, you are entitled to ask your current lender to match it or offer you a cheaper alternative.


A little disclaimer - comparison websites can be useful, however at the end of the day they are businesses and may make money through promoted links. This means they may not cover all your options.


And another tip - if you end up switching to another lender, make sure the benefits outweigh any fees you'll pay for closing your current loan and applying for another.


Make higher repayments


It seems like an obvious one - but it’s also a simple one, if you have a small amount of disposable income, and the right attitude!


If you make repayments as if you had a loan with a higher rate of interest, you will pay off your mortgage early. 


And if you do follow our advice above and switch to a loan with a lower interest rate, keep making the same repayments you had at the higher rate.


Moneysmart has an easy to use Mortgage Calculator - see exactly how much you can save by making higher loan repayments


https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/mortgage-calculator


Look into an offset account


Put simply - an offset account is a savings account that is directly linked to your mortgage. 


Your offset account balance reduces the amount you owe on your mortgage. This reduces the amount of interest you pay and helps you pay off your mortgage faster.

You’ll need to check the fees associated with this feature. If your balance is always low (for example under $5,000), it may not be worth paying for the offset account. 


Avoid an interest-only loan


If you are on an interest only mortgage you are not paying off any of your overall debt - only the cost of taking out the loan.


While this can seem appealing as monthly repayments are smaller - the big drawback here is, at the end of your mortgage term you still have the total amount of debt left to pay off. 


This means your debt isn't going down and you'll pay more interest in the long run.


Make your repayments fortnightly 


If you're currently on a monthly payment scheme - consider switching to fortnightly repayments. 


It’s a small change that will make a difference. By paying half the monthly amount every two weeks, you'll make the equivalent of an extra month's repayment each year (as each year has 26 fortnights).


Get expert advice


If you’re wondering about what the best strategy might be to manage your money, a financial advisor can help.


At Turtle Securities, we provide advice about building and preserving wealth - as well as specialised advice around investments. 


If you want to ensure you are making the best financial decisions for your future -
get in touch. 


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