House hunting can be a lot of fun and you may get caught up in the excitement of looking at a variety of homes and dreaming about what your life could be like if you owned one of them. Before you get too excited, though, it is important to do some number crunching to see how much house you can really afford. Forexample, the Halifax mortgage calculator is worth taking a look at. It is quick and easy to use and within a couple of minutes you will have a better understanding as to what types of mortgages are available to you. It will also help you to discover what type of mortgage you want.
Things to pay attention to when using a mortgage calculator:
Fixed or Variable Rate
Remember, not all mortgages are the same. There are many different types available to suit various needs. For instance, you may decide you want a fixed rate mortgage so you don’t have to worry about interest rate fluctuations. Alternatively, you may decide a variable rate works better for you because you predict interest rates will be low for a long time.
Length of Term
How long do you want your mortgage for? Do you want a 5 year term or just a 1 year term because you think you might be selling and moving within a short time of purchasing the home? A very popular term length is 5 years but people have their reasons for going for shorter terms such as if there is a much better rate for a shorter term, etc.