Whether you opt to go with a variable interest rate, fixed interest rate or a combination of the two, depends on your financial circumstances, future plans and your perception of future movements in interest rates.

When we set up your new home loan, you have the following product options:

• Variable rate loan

• Fixed rate loan

• Variable-fixed split loan

What is a variable rate loan?

Variable rates fluctuate approximately in parallel with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cash rate. The following summarises the advantages and disadvantages of fixed rates:

Advantages	Disadvantages
·       Flexibility with extra repayments – you can make unlimited extra repayments	·       You will pay more interest if the variable interest rate rises
·       Offset account – a lot of lenders allow you to link an offset account/s to variable loans	·       Uncertainty over cash flow – meaning your minimum repayments may increase

What is a fixed rate loan?

Fixed rates are locked in for a fixed period. They cannot move up or down. The following summarises the advantages and disadvantages of fixed rates:

Advantages	Disadvantages
·       Certainty of your interest rate during the fixed term, meaning no increase in interest costs	·       Restrictions on extra repayments. Most lenders have restrictions on extra repayments
·       Certainty of your repayments which allows you to easily budget	·       Generally you can’t link an offset account and/or redraw funds
·       Rate rises won’t impact you. You can set and forget	·       You may be liable for a “break fee” if paying out your fixed rate loan early

What is a variable-fixed split loan?

You can opt to split your total lending into 2 or more loan splits.

For example, you could have split a $500,000 loan as follows:

• $250,000 Variable interest rate
• $250,000 Fixed interest rate

The proportion of the loan splits can vary as per your requirements.

Some reasons why you might have a variable-fixed loan split:

1. Hedge your bets in relation to interest rates movements.
2. Have a variable loan split with offset account linked, and a fixed rate at a lower interest rate

We hope that this article has provided you with some key considerations when looking at variable and fixed rate loans in Australia. The above is general information only. If you would like personal advice tailored to your individual circumstances, please feel free to contact the team at Probroker on 1800 195 123 or info@probroker.com.au