Interest Only Loans
Interest Only loan products are an easy way to improve your cash flow and are a
popular alternative to traditional mortgages. Interest Only loans allow you the
flexibility of paying only the interest due on the mortgage rather than paying
both interest and principal each month. Most of these loan products allow you to
pay extra if you choose.
The Benefits of Interest Only Loans:
- You can choose to pay extra towards your loan balance, or simply pay the minimum required.
- Interest Only Loans work well for borrowers that are on a restricted budget. Monthly payments on an Interest Only Loan can be as much as $300-400 per month less than a comparable traditional mortgage.
- An Interest Only Loan may allow you to qualify for a bigger or more expensive home.
- This type of loan can work well for people who only want to stay in a home for a few years. During the first few years of a traditional mortgage, most of your mortgage payment is being applied directly to the interest on the loan with very little being applied towards the principal balance. An Interest Only Loan will provide a lower payment and will have almost the same remaining loan balance as a traditional mortgage after 1-5 years.
- Investors frequently use Interest Only Loans to help improve cash flow on rental properties.
As with any loan program, there are also downsides and risks involved with interest only loans:
- Interest Only loan payments do not pay down the principal balance of your loan - you will still owe the same amount in 1, 5, or 15 years as the day you obtained the loan. If your property doesn't appreciate in value, you may have out of pocket costs if you choose to sell the home. While the likelihood of this happening is low, it is a risk that must be considered when thinking about using Interest Only Loans.
- Most Interest Only products have a specified term. For example, on most 30 year fixed Interest Only Loans, most lenders allow interest payments for 10 years, and then you must repay the loan during the last 20 years. This loan is now amortized over a 20 year period, and the last 20 years will carry a higher payment than a traditional mortgage. Other Interest Only Loans require a balloon payment (you must pay off the entire balance) after a certain number of years.
- These loans may not be a good long-term solution, so if you are planning on staying in your home for an extended period of time, you may want to consider a traditional product.
Ask your loan consultant if an interest only loan might be right for you.