When buying your first home, mortgages are an unavoidable necessity. Just because you have to apply for one doesn’t mean you’ll settle for whatever the bank offers. You can use your knowledge of the mortgage market to find the best rate for you and get the best deal possible.
And to help you make the correct decision, here are some factors that affect mortgage rates. This way, you will know which ones matter when it’s time to negotiate:
- House Price And Loan Amount
House price and loan amount are both factors that affect mortgage rates. When house prices rise, it becomes more expensive for the lender to provide you with a loan. That is because your property is worth more, and the bank or lender will have to spend more money to buy it from you if you default on your payments.
On the other hand, the loan amount determines how much interest you pay over time. The more money you borrow or loan, the more interest you’ll pay over time because more principal needs to be paid back each month over this cost. That’s why they increased your interest rate. Remember that you can compare NZ rates here before deciding where to apply for a mortgage loan to get good deals.
- Credit Score
The credit score is one of the factors that affect mortgage rates. The higher the number, the better your credit score. A good credit score can help you get the best mortgage rate since it shows that you are financially responsible with your money. It also shows that you pay off your bills on time and don’t have any outstanding debts.
If you have a bad credit score, you have an outstanding debt or unpaid bill, which is not ideal for your financial health or for getting a mortgage loan from a bank or lender. A bad credit score can also affect other aspects of your life, such as employment or renting an apartment or house.


- Inflation
Inflation is one of the factors that can affect mortgage rates. It’s the increase in the price of goods and services. It may affect the costs associated with buying your home because as you pay back your mortgage, you pay back principal and interest. If inflation grows, so will the cost of living, and increasing the cost of living means you will have to pay more for things such as food, shelter, and clothing.
If this happens, it may mean you need to take out more money to cover these additional expenses, which could result in paying more interest on your mortgage loan. It could lead to having less disposable income each month, which means that you might not be able to afford other things such as vacations or a new car.
- Down Payment
Generally, a bigger down payment means having a lower interest rate because financial institutions see a lower risk level when you have more property claims. Lenders will usually require you to avail of mortgage insurance if you cannot make a down payment of 20% or higher. Mortgage insurance is a policy that will protect the lender if something happens to the borrower.
It’s essential to remember the mortgage total cost. The higher the initial payment, the lower the overall cost of the loan amount. Getting a lower interest rate is good because it’ll save you time and money. However, even if you get a lower interest rate with an initial payment of less than 20 percent, your overall borrowing cost will likely be more significant since you’ll need to make the extra monthly payments for the mortgage insurance.
- Loan Term
The length of your mortgage term also affects your loan rate. Loans with shorter payoff usually have lower interest rates than those with longer ones. There are fewer chances rates will rise dramatically during a short payoff timeline. And there’s a smaller chance that something will happen to result in interrupting your ability to pay your loan.
You can also build equity in your home faster with a loan with a shorter payoff. Equity is the contrast between your home’s worth and what you owe to your lender. This further decreases your lender’s risk since you’ll have more money. And there’s a smaller chance your loan balance will be higher than what you could sell your home for.
Final Thoughts
By understanding these five factors, you’ll be able to choose the right mortgage loan with a reasonable interest rate. Not all of these factors are within your control, such as inflation. But knowing how your mortgage interest rate is determined, like having a good credit score, will help you be more informed as you look for a mortgage.


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