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Longer Term Mortgages: Advantages And Disadvantages

Being as it is, increasingly difficult to pay off mortgage installments, more and more people are resorting to long term mortgages in an intent to reduce the amount of the monthly payments. If there is no other option for purchasing your own property there is no much to discuss. However, if it is possible to afford a shorter term mortgage it is wise to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of closing on a long term mortgage deal with your home loan lender.

Amazingly and due to the crisis that the mortgage industry is going through, long term mortgages are becoming increasingly popular and astonishing long mortgage terms are being offered by home loan lenders. Lately 40 and even 50 years mortgages have been offered by mortgage lenders at certain local branches and though these products along with 25 and 30 years mortgages are especially useful for those with limited income, the advantages and drawbacks need to be pondered.

Escaping From Negative Amortization

One of the advantages of longer term mortgages is that negative amortization becomes less likely. Negative amortization happens when the minimum payments are so high that they do not cover the interest rates on the loan which accumulate with the loan principal. Debt increases and the property’s value is no longer high enough to secure the whole debt which turns repayment economically unadvisable.

A longer repayment schedule reduces the amounts of the monthly payments and though the interests are higher in the long run, negative amortization is less likely because the minimum payments are always low enough for you to afford both the interests and a portion of the principal. Therefore, longer mortgage terms guarantee that you will avoid negative amortization and that you will be able to afford the loan payments.

Avoiding Foreclosure

Another interesting benefit that these longer home loans provide is that the risk of foreclosure is reduced. Because the loan payments are more affordable, the loan repayment becomes simpler and defaulting on the loan is also less likely. Therefore, one of the biggest worries that borrowers have is eliminated thanks to the extension of the repayment schedule to 40 or 50 years.

Yet all these benefits do not come at no cost. When you decide to accept a 40 or 50 years term you are also agreeing to certain disadvantages that may affect your finances. Therefore it is important for you to know exactly what you are agreeing to so you can make a conscious decision and determine whether you should apply for a longer home loan or not.

Higher Interest Rates And Overall Costs

The main drawback of these loans is that you will have to pay higher overall interests due to the longer repayment schedule and also due to the higher interest rate that you will be charged. Almost 10 years of the whole repayment program are destined to paying off the interests on the money lent which turns these loans into a very onerous financial solution for the purchase of a home. Thus, they are only advisable when due to a limited income, you cannot cope with shorter programs.