When looking for mortgage solutions, the number of options at your disposal can be daunting. For instance, some people may opt for a second mortgage, while others may opt for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage instead. In Canada, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is more popular than the second mortgage option, and accounts for roughly 80% of all home purchases; its popularity has not waned since its inception. Here, we will focus on how monthly payments work for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
What is a fixed-rate mortgage?
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is a loan issued by a financial institution that has an interest rate that is fixed for the duration of the loan. It usually has a repayment term of three decades, although the homeowner can refinance or sell their home before the 30-year term ends if they wish. The interest rate is determined when the loan is first issued to the homebuyer.
How Principal and Interest Payments Work
When you make your monthly mortgage payments, a part of the amount will be put towards the interest on the loan, while a portion will be invested towards the principal amount. During a conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, you would be paying mostly interest payments during the first few formative years of your mortgage. As such, you are likely to struggle to reduce the principal by any significant amount during the first few years of the mortgage.
However, as time persists the financial tables turn, and the composition of your monthly payments will flip, as less money will go towards the interest and more is applied towards reducing the principal amount that you borrowed. As you enter the later years of your 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, more of your monthly payment will be put towards paying back the principal, which will allow you to build equity at an accelerated pace.
Your Monthly Payment Remains Constant
While the composition will change over the lifespan of your mortgage, in terms of the payment charges, the actual total amount that you will be expected to pay will not change whatsoever. Moreover, the interest rate that you are expected to pay will also not change. It is for this reason that this mortgage solution is referred to as a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, as the rate amount remains constant.
Another option that some Canadians may decide to take is an adjustable-rate mortgage. As the name implies, the interest rate may fluctuate throughout the loan, which makes it a riskier option for many Canadians, while the fixed-rate mortgage option is arguably the safer of the two.
To learn more about fixed-rate and variable mortgages, call Northwood Mortgages at 888-492-3690 or contact us here.
