When buying a home, you must decide how you would like to finance it. A 15-year mortgage could be the game-changer you are looking for in your home buying process. If you choose to go this route, your mortgage will be completely paid off in 15 years. Plus, the rate is typically fixed so the principal and interest rate are the same throughout the term of the mortgage.

When applying for a shorter-term mortgage, you’ll have your credit pulled and provide the same paperwork as a 30-year mortgage, but you will need to make sure your budget can handle the increased monthly payments as well as your typical bills. Here are the pros and cons you will need to weigh before choosing a 15-year term mortgage.

Pros

Build up equity faster

Since there is a shorter-term and lower interest rate on a 15-year mortgage, you will be invested in your home faster. In turn, your home equity builds quicker because you are paying down the principal balance sooner rather than more of your payments going towards the interest.   

Saving more in the long-term

For the lenders, a shorter-term loan is less risky, so they typically charge a lower interest rate. Plus, by cutting a 30-year mortgage in half you are cutting how much you spend in interest over the years. With a 15-year mortgage, you end up saving more in the long term compared to a 30-year mortgage.   

Cons

Larger monthly payments

With a 15-year mortgage, your monthly payments are higher because you are needing to pay it off sooner compared to a 30-year mortgage. You must be sure your budget can handle the larger payments. As more of your monthly budget goes towards your mortgage payments, less is going into savings. This means you may not have the extra cash you need to renovate right away. You must weigh how important it is for you to have more cash flow on hand each month.

Lower home affordability           

The increased monthly payments may limit how much you will be approved for on your mortgage. For example, if you want to purchase a home for $300,000 and finance the loan at a 4% APR for 15 years, your monthly payments would be about $2,219. If the lender approves you for $2,000 monthly payments, then you would have to look for a home at a lower price that may take you out of the area you wanted to live in. To help decide on whether lower home affordability is worth it, calculate all the numbers you need with Velocity Community Mortgage Calculators.                         

With every decision, you must think over the pros and cons. With a 15-year term mortgage, you will save in the long run. The downside is a larger monthly payment. Will you be able to cover the bills with a larger monthly payment now? Need professional help with the decision? Call our local mortgage officers at (561) 625-2406, and they will guide you in the right direction.   

Source: Investopedia