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You are ready to apply for a mortgage. Should you take out a fixed-rate loan or an adjustable-rate?
The right loan for you depends upon a wide range of factors, everything from how low or high average mortgage rates are when you are ready to apply for a loan to your family's financial situation.
The best way to decide whether you should aim for a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate loan is to do the research.
The basics
Before you can decide whether a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage is right for you, it's important to learn the basic differences between the two.
As the name suggests, the interest rate does not change with a fixed-rate mortgage over the term of the loan. No matter whether your loan extends for 30 years, 15 years or some other length of time, your interest rate will remain unchanged throughout the duration of the loan.
An adjustable-rate mortgage works in the opposite way. Your interest rate will change after a set number of years, often five or seven. Usually, the rate starts out lower for the first few years and then changes to a new rate based on a set of economic factors. The rate does not have to go higher after the adjustment period, but it usually does.
Benefits of a fixed-rate mortgage
Each loan type comes with its benefits. For fixed-rate mortgage loans, the benefit is an obvious one: There are no surprises with this type of loan. You'll know each month exactly what your mortgage payment will be. It will not rise or fall.
A fixed-rate mortgage loan is especially attractive when low average mortgage interest rates. That has indeed been the case over the last several years. Average interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loans averaged about 6.66% percent in December 2023, which is a 0.38 percent increase from the year prior. Rates have increased exponentially due to inflation.
This means that fixed-rate loans currently make good economic sense for homeowners who want the lowest possible mortgage payment each month. Taking out an adjustable-rate loan in such a rate climate might be a risk. After all, when an adjustable-rate mortgage loan adjusts in five or seven years, there's no guarantee that interest rates will not be higher than they were this past year.
Benefits of adjustable-rate mortgages
Adjustable-rate mortgage loans can be beneficial when average mortgage interest rates are high. That is because lenders can usually provide borrowers with a lower initial interest rate because they can raise the rate at a later date if rates rise to a higher level during the mortgage term.
If rates are high, then, borrowers who take out an adjustable-rate mortgage loan will enjoy a lower interest rate for a set period, again, usually five to seven years. This can result in lower monthly mortgage payments during this time.
However, after the adjustment period, your interest rate may increase by a fair amount. Make sure before taking out an adjustable-rate mortgage that you can afford whatever the adjusted monthly payment would be. You might be able to factor future pay raises to help you make those higher payments if you believe that your income will grow over time.
Like all mortgage products, adjustable-rate and fixed-rate mortgage loans come with their pros and cons. Your best bet is to study both products carefully and speak to your local financial institution before making your choice.
