Mortgage Choice, Best in the Mortgage and Finance Industry*, suggests Australian borrowers open their mortgage cupboard, dust off its contents and carefully scrutinize them to make sure their current budget and mortgage situations are still the most suitable for their current needs.
Mortgage Choice National Manager Corporate Affairs, Warren O’Rourke said giving your mortgage a spring clean for the year ahead can often end in a pleasing result.
“A good de-clutter never goes astray and often uncovers financial aspects of your life that need some reassessment or to be changed altogether. A simple adjustment could save you thousands of dollars,” he said.
“For example, say you have a mortgage of $250,000 at 9.47% p.a., adjusting your budget to include $20 extra per week in your mortgage will save you over $105,000 in interest on the total loan amount plus reduces the loan term by over five years.
”The spring season is a great time to get all your paperwork reorganised for the sunny months ahead so why not do this while you’re giving your home a ‘spring clean’. Then your home really is thoroughly cleared out and all set to enjoy with peace of mind”.
Mortgage Choice has these tips for those wanting to spring clean their mortgage:
- Look at your past year’s budget and expenditure to see what aspects of your spending you can move around so you can perhaps add extra dollars to your mortgage. Every little bit goes a long way to saving interest payments and time off the loan term.
- Get to know your mortgage. Recent research showed more than half of Australia’s mortgage holders do not know their mortgage interest rate. It is one of the biggest financial commitments a person can make so get to know all about it!
- Consider the mortgage features you use. Does your loan have a range of features you don’t use? You might be able to switch to a ‘cheaper’ loan with fewer options. Or, you may benefit from a loan with more features, such as an offset account.
- Look into debt consolidation if you are struggling with a range of debt repayments. By rolling your other debts into your mortgage you will pay less each repayment period and gain some peace of mind. However, remember that those debts will be stretched over a longer period i.e. your entire home loan term.
- Get a free home loan health check from a reputable mortgage broker. There is no obligation so no reason to not check you’re still doing the best thing by your mortgage.
* 2008 Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia Awards
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