What is a discounted rate mortgage

A discount mortgage is a sort of variable rate mortgage in which the lender gives you a discount on their ordinary variable rate for a set length of time, usually a few years. If you don’t remortgage to a better offer before the end of the time, you’ll have to pay the higher SVR. 

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Check the current 10,15, 20, 30 years mortgage here. https://proptionary.com/10-year-mortgage-rates/ 

What is SVR?

Your lender determines your standard variable rate (SVR). When a mortgage customer’s initial contract expires, they are transferred to the default interest rate. For example, if you take out a two-year fixed-rate mortgage, you will be put onto your lender’s SVR after two years if you do not refinance.

How do discount rate mortgages operate and what are they?

The standard variable rate is determined by each lender, and it’s the rate you’ll be moved to at the end of any first variable or fixed-rate period. A discount rate mortgage follows the SVR, but at a lower interest rate. If the lender’s SVR is set at 5% and the discount is set at 2%, your mortgage will have a 3 percent interest rate. Because lenders determine their SVRs, they might vary a lot: two lenders giving a 2% reduction can charge two completely different rates. Similarly, the magnitude and duration of the discount will differ depending on the lender and the loan. 

Benefits And Drawbacks:

The primary advantage of a discount rate mortgage is that the interest rate is typically — but not always — lower than fixed rates. Borrowers pay a premium for the certainty of knowing exactly what their monthly payments will be with a fixed-rate mortgage. Because of increased competition in the fixed-rate market, rates have plummeted, so don’t assume a discount will always be cheaper. You’ll save money right away if you can get a discount mortgage with a lower rate than a fixed rate. A discount rate mortgage, on the other hand, comes with significantly greater unpredictability than other forms of mortgages. 

Example

A tracker mortgage, for example, is connected to the Bank of US market base rate, so it changes only when the base rate changes. With a discount rate, however, your rate can vary at any moment since lenders can modify their SVRs at any time. Furthermore, early repayment penalties are common with discount rate mortgages. 

This is a fee you must pay if you wish to pay off your mortgage early, including when you refinance to a new contract. ERCs are computed as a percentage of the returned amount and can amount to thousands of pounds. As a result, if you sign up for a low-interest mortgage and discover that the interest rate is growing over a comfortable level, transferring to a different product will cost you a lot of money. 

How can you acquire a mortgage with a low-interest rate?

Because discount mortgages are less popular than fixed-rate mortgages, many lenders will not provide them. Mortgage comparison tool can help you find out what reduced mortgages are available. 

  • Another alternative is to speak with an independent mortgage broker. They will be able to explore the market for you to locate the best offer, whether it’s a discount, another variable rate mortgage, or a fixed rate. Your broker may also have access to lenders that do not directly provide mortgages to clients and will know which lenders are most likely to accept your application.
  • When the SVR moves, it travels up and down. A discount mortgage differs from other variable mortgages in that it follows a rate established by the lender, known as the SVR, rather than the US. This implies that your bank may adjust the rate you pay whenever they choose because they are not bound by the Bank of US interest rate hikes.
  • Discount mortgage offers might continue for two, three, or five years, or for the whole mortgage term, which is normally 25 years. A discount mortgage, like any other variable mortgage, allows your monthly payments to fluctuate. 

When Is a Discount Rate Adjusted?

The US base rate does not affect discount mortgages. Instead, they always reflect the lender’s SVR, which can change at any moment. Several large lenders have raised their SVRs – and hence their discount mortgages – even though the base rate has not risen in years. 

Tracker vs. Discount

Trackers and discount mortgages are frequently confused, with discount mortgages being somewhat less expensive. You must consider whether you are willing to risk your lender raising the interest rate in exchange for the savings given by a discount mortgage. Or you’d prefer to pay a little extra to have your interest rate tied to the Base Rate. You could choose a tracker arrangement since trackers follow the Bank of US base rate, and you can make an educated bet as to when this will change. 

Is a Discount Mortgage a Good Option for Me?

Discount mortgages can be a terrific, low-cost option while they last. Even a 0.5 percent rise in your SVR might add a considerable amount to your monthly mortgage cost. Discount mortgages should be avoided if:

  • If your monthly payments increased, you would struggle; a fixed-rate mortgage may be a better alternative.
  • If the base rate had not changed, you would regard such an increase to be unjust.
  • If your discount mortgage is exceptionally low, to begin with, you may be able to tolerate a slight increase in payments. There may not even be any cheaper packages to transfer to, especially if you have little equity.

Conclusion: If you find a better bargain, you may be tempted to leave your discount mortgage package early and move lenders. This might be worth hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. Before signing up for a discount mortgage, always check to see whether there is an early redemption price.