Overall cost for comparison 4% APRC
The good news is that in recent years a number of lenders have relaxed their criteria for this type of lending. Things to be mindful of include:
This will depend on the lender...
Some lenders have no minimum income requirement although they may cap what you can borrow on an interest only basis up to e.g. 65% LTV (Loan To Value). With the balance if you are borrowing more than this being on an interest & repayment of capital basis.
A number of lender who offer higher income multiples when it comes to borrowing e.g. 5 x income will require your salary to be over a set amount pa e.g. £70,000. Different lenders will also have different criteria regarding how you pay the mortgage back.
Some interest only mortgage lenders will accept sale of property; some will have conditions on this e.g. NatWest require you to have at least £200k of equity in your property at time of sale.
This will reduce your mortgage balance over time, but at the end of the term there will still be an outstanding capital sum to repay. For advice on your interest only options click here
Lenders take different approaches to sale of house as a exit strategy for paying off a mortgage. For many people downsizing to a smaller home later in life is a logical step and often it will be to a part of the country where house prices are lower.
Some lenders will want to know where you intend to downsize to so they can assess the valuation of properties and ensure you plan is plausible.
A key consideration for lenders is affordability when they lend. In assessing whether an interest only mortgage is right for you income criteria will come into play.
Typically lenders will want to see an individual with an income of at least £50,000 or a household income of £75,000 to lend on a interest only basis. This criteria will vary so speak to a broker such as ourselves will help you get the right deal for your circumstances.
The main reason is to keep monthly costs to a minimum.
By switching to a better deal with a different mortgage provider, an interest only mortgage could potentially allow you to benefit from lower interest rates and lower monthly mortgage repayments.
By remortgaging you may be able to releasing equity in your home.
People often remortgage to provide money for:
Free up funds from your home so you can live the life you want to.
Post Office through their Retirement Link Mortgage » provide an interest only mortgage option which allows you to borrow on an interest only basis up to age 80.
This could be right for you if you are looking for a good alternative to equity release or you are looking to home improvements or raise funds for something special e.g. a child's wedding or first home deposit.
You can borrow up to 30% of the value of your property and your property must be worth at least £250,000 to qualify. Click here for more details »>
This trend is likely to continue in 2019, with nearly a third of eligible homeowners planning to remortgage, as revealed in
The impact of Brexit is likely to affect the market and could well lead to rising inflation and a squeeze on family finances, making remortgaging to cut monthly repayments an attractive option.
Post Office is offering a great deal on their 5 year fixed rate interest only mortgage with no product fee.
They also offer a great 3 year interest only fixed rate deal. Call Post Office on 0808 178 6813 or click here to find out how much you could borrow »
Your current mortgage lender may offer an interest only option or part and part option. Alternatively you may need to remortgage with a new lender to get an interest only basis mortgage.
People usually consider remortgaging because they think they can get a better deal and reduce their monthly repayments, or because they want to increase their borrowing.
There are usually several costs associated with remortgaging, typically including a valuation fee, administration fee and legal fee. Many (but not all) lenders will offer to pay these costs when you switch your mortgage to them to make remortgaging more attractive.
This is because according to latest research* 36% of UK homeowners are sitting on their lender Standard Variable Rate (SVR).
When you took out your mortgage there was a good chance that you were given an initial fixed term deal over 2,3 or 5 years.
At the end of the initial fixed term you will usually have been switched automatically to the lender’s Standard variable Rate (SVR) of interest. The current average lender SVR is 4.40%.
If this is you there is a good chance your monthly mortgage payments are a lot higher than they need to be.
You are not alone. 4 million UK homeowners are in the same boat.
Buy to let mortgage rates have fallen significantly in the last few years so if you are a landlord looking to maximise your bottom line you should consider reviewing the cost of finance.
With recent tax changes to btl landlords ensuring you are not paying over the odds for your mortgage funding should be a priority.
Remortgaging your buy to let(s) is relatively straightforward depending on your circumstances - it makes a lot of sense to review the cost of borrowing to maximise your profit.
For latest buy to let mortgage deals from UK lenders click here »
Historically for older borrowers (aged 60+) flexible options for homeowners looking to raise capital or simply remortgage to get a better rate or to switch to an interest only basis were limited.
The good news is that this has changed - in the last 12 months a number of lenders have been launching mortgages in retirement products which are designed to help borrowers stay in their homes without being pressurised to downsize.More information can be found here on retirement mortgages »
Whether it will be a good idea for you to remortgage depends on a number of factors, including your goals and your personal circumstances.
However, in general, if interest rates are lower than you are currently paying on your mortgage, it may be a good time to remortgage.
If interest rate are higher than you are currently paying, it may be better to look at other options, such as a second mortgage or a personal loan (if you aim is to borrow more).
If you are not sure whether now is the right time to remortgage, it is a good idea to speak to an independent mortgage broker who will be able to offer impartial advice.