The word “home loan” or “mortgage” have exactly the same meaning. Since most of us do not have enough money to pay cash for a home, we need to apply for a home loan or mortgage from a bank to assist us with the purchase

If you found the home of your dreams and the bank grants you a home loan then your bank will pay the owner of that property. Thereafter you will have to start to making monthly repayments to pay off the debt you now have

Although the definition of a home loan is straightforward, the actual process is very detailed in nature. Here are some basics about home loans that you should know.

Home loan amortization

Amortization is a term used to describe the payment of a homeloan through a schedule of systematic payments. You will have to keep up with your monthly payments to the bank until your home loan is paid in full.

Your monthly payments are made up of principle (the original loan amount) and interest payments. A loan amortization schedule shows the allocation of each loan payment to interest and principle

Loan Term

Your loan term is the amount of time it takes you to pay off your loan. The loan term can vary from 5-30 years, although most people in South Africa, prefer a 20 year loan term.

The longer you take to pay off your loan the lower your monthly repayments will be, but at the same time the interest that you will be paying will be much higher.

Types of Mortgages

The most common ones in South Africa are the fixed, variable rate mortgage as well as, more recently, the interest only mortgage.

A fixed rate mortgage means that your repayments remain the same over a certain period. The only increase that you can expect is the result of increases in insurance rates and property taxes.

With a variable rate mortgage your monthly repayments will fluctuate. If interest rates are going down your monthly repayments will decrease, but should rates go up your payment will increase accordingly.

With an interest only mortgage you only pay off the interest on your loan and delay the repayment of the principle debt. However, you will have to settle the debt eventually by either restructuring your payments or by selling your home.

Financial Calculators
If you are comparing either a fixed, variable or interest only mortgage home loan, then you could use one of our financial calculators to help you decide.

You should now have a much better understanding of what a home loan or alternatively a mortgage is.

For a more detailed discussion on various subjects you can call us on (011)327-4489 or go to www.mortgagepluscc.co.za

Home Loans in SA : When it comes to purchasing a home, you are probably very excited about the fact that you will be starting a new chapter of your life. Everything happens so fast sometimes that you might think that there will barely be any time to read through your loan documents.
You could not be more wrong though. Even though those documents are going to be long and drawn out, it is extremely important to make sure that you or your attorney go through them with a fine tooth comb. Before you even get to that part though, you will want to make sure that you are even applying for the correct loan to begin with.

There are a few types of home loans out there and it is important to make sure that you understand the basics of each in order to make sure that you are making the right decision for you and your family. Going with the wrong loan could cause you to default on your loan and lose your house. Since this is not something that you want to have happen, it is important to make sure that you are taking the proper precautions from the start.

What Types of Home Loans Are There. The loan that many people consider to be the best option is the fixed rate mortgage. This is a pretty straightforward loan. You have a set interest rate, which will never change for the period it’s fixed, and a set number of years to repay the debt. Another major loan product out there would be the variable rate mortgage.

This is a risky loan in a rising interest rate market because if the prime interest rate goes up, the mortgage company will also begin to increase your interest rate. This means that you can never predict what your payments are going to be in the future. Many people have found themselves in foreclosure simply because the payments adjusted to an amount that was too much to handle.
Interest only home loans are another option. The thing is though, during the first couple of years of the mortgage, none of your payments goes to the principal balance. If you plan on selling you home within the first couple of years then your payoff amount is basically going to be the same as the first day you took out the loan.

As you can see, there are a few different options out there for you. You really have to look through them all to make sure that you are getting the right type of loan for your needs.

If you need any more information about  Home Loans or other home loans related questions fo not hesitate to contact us on :

(011)327-4489 / www.mortgagepluscc.co.za