Interest is the cost you pay to borrow money. And though it's just one part of your monthly mortgage payments, it can often amount to significant costs over time and affect how much mortgage you can afford . Understanding how your mortgage interest rate is calculated is a crucial step in securing a home loan. Here's what you need to know about mortgage interest, how it is calculated and how it might impact your finances. Eligible for a mortgage? Check your options at LendingTree Will the Fed's rate hike affect mortgage rates? The Federal Open Market Committee sets the short-term interest rate - the federal fund rate - that banks use to borrow money. The federal fund rate doesn't directly affect long-term rates such as mortgages, but the two tend to move in the same direction . A day after the Fed's most recent rate hike, mortgage rates increased to 5.78% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and 4.81% for 15 years. Freddie Mac said the 30-year rate jump marked "the … [Read more...] about Everything you need to know about mortgage interest rates, including how much you’ll pay
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Banks big home loan cashbacks mask attempts to rebuild margins
OPINION: It’s being dubbed a “cashback war”. Some banks are offering large sums as cashback after people take a new loan with them. BNZ is offering up to $20,000 cashback , and state-owned Kiwibank up to $10,000 . Westpac is offering a prize draw with five prizes of $50,000. These are time-limited offers for new borrowers, and mortgage brokers see them as part of a strategy the banks have to rebuild margins on home loans. READ MORE: Here's how banks set home loan rates What to do when home loans are harder to get, and approved amounts are smaller New lending laws a 'nightmare' for people seeking home loans Cashbacks have generally been the province of lower tier car financiers. These were high-cost car loans marketed with the promise of the lender “giving” the borrower both a loan and some cashback to spend on anything they liked. There’s no such thing as free money, and in my book this was pure exploitation of people in dire need of cash. By contrast, … [Read more...] about Banks big home loan cashbacks mask attempts to rebuild margins
Families on low incomes suffering ‘year of financial fear’ – charity
Families on low incomes are enduring a “year of financial fear” and making grim choices such as falling behind on bills, going without essentials or taking on expensive debt, a report has found. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said the cost-of-living crisis and a decade of social security cuts and underfunding are taking a heavy toll. It used a survey of about 4,000 people on low household incomes in May and June (the bottom 40%, which equates to an income of under £25,000 for a couple with no children), for the report. Rather than making the trade-off between heating or eating, one in five (21%) low income households were unable to do either – going without enough food as well as being unable to keep their homes warm, researchers found. Six in 10 (60%) had gone without essentials since the start of 2022, or, had cut down on or skipped meals, or gone hungry in the previous 30 days. Recommended Over £130m handed to housing providers named and … [Read more...] about Families on low incomes suffering ‘year of financial fear’ – charity
When was my house built and how old is it?
RENOVATING a home should be a relatively simple process, but sometimes there's legislation dictating what you can and can't do. It is important when buying a house to find out what year it was built and if there is likely to be anything that would hamper your revamp. How old is my house? Having an older house can mean there are restrictions on what renovations you can carry out on the property. For example, if your house is particularly old or in an area of outstanding natural beauty you might not be able to add an extension. An old house generally refers to one over 50 years old. Older than that and it could classed as a period property. READ MORE ON PROPERTY COOL DOWN I’m a property expert, my tips will keep your house cold DREAM HOME I'm an interior designer and there's easy ways you can renovate on a budget How to find out when my house was built? There are lots of different ways to find out the age of … [Read more...] about When was my house built and how old is it?
Max Verstappen’s clear Lewis Hamilton refusal exposes true feelings on rivalry
In case it had not been noticed, the rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen is personal. But if a reminder is needed, check out Verstappen’s interviews over the past couple of months. Max, do you consciously avoid referring to your title rival by his name? Do you try and not mention the word ‘Lewis’ or, indeed, ‘Mercedes’? “That is correct,” answers Verstappen, who actually DID bring himself to mention his rival’s name after taking pole position for today’s showdown. “Too much has happened this season. “My look on certain people has changed. And not in a positive way. I have found out that certain people show a whole different face when they come under pressure. JOIN THE DEBATE! Who will lift the Drivers' Championship later today? Let us know in the comments There is no love lost between title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton ( Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images) “Their true character comes to the surface.” The pair are … [Read more...] about Max Verstappen’s clear Lewis Hamilton refusal exposes true feelings on rivalry