James V. Hecker

Santa Clarita California

  • About
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Security
  • Mortgage Info
    • Buyer Info
    • Seller Info
    • Closing Costs
    • Home Appraisal
    • Home Inspection
    • Loan Checklist
    • Loan Process
    • Loan Programs
    • Mortgage FAQ
    • Mortgage Calculators
    • Mortgage Glossary
  • Properties
    • All Properties
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

The Pros and Cons of Using Spare Funds to Pay Your Mortgage Down Faster

June 11, 2015 by James Hecker

The Pros and Cons of Using Spare Funds to Pay Your Mortgage Down Faster A home mortgage payment can be a large or even the largest expense in a person’s budget, and not having this payment any longer can be a life changing experience. Because of this, you may be dreaming about the day when you no longer have to make this payment. Some people may even actively make extra payments to their mortgage in order to pay the outstanding balance off more quickly. These may be funds from an IRS tax refund, cash received from the holidays or a birthday or some other windfall. Before you make the decision about whether to use spare funds to pay your mortgage down more quickly, consider these pros and cons.

The Benefits of Making Extra Mortgage Payments

You can shave many years off of your home mortgage when you make even a single extra payment each year. This can help you to achieve long-term financial goals, build equity and avoid paying more than necessary in interest charges. Keep in mind that any principal that is removed from the outstanding balance now will not generate interest charges going forward. This can have a snowball effect on your home equity, and this is especially true when you make extra payments on a regular basis.

Why Extra Payments Are Not Always the Best Option

Clearly, there are some great benefits associated with making extra payments on your home mortgage. However, there are also some downsides to consider before you take this step. Your home mortgage may be one of your debts with the lowest interest rate.

For example, many mortgage interest rates today are below five percent while some credit card rates may exceed 15 or 18 percent. Over the long-term, you may benefit more from savings on interest charges by reducing higher interest rate debts. Even if you have no other debts besides your home mortgage payment, you may be able to invest the money for a higher return than the interest rate on the mortgage.

Each person has different short and long term goals as well as a different financial situation to consider. With how low mortgage rates are today, however, many will benefit from paying off high interest rate debts and making smart investment decisions with any extra money they have.

Filed Under: Home Mortgage Tips Tagged With: Home Mortgage Tips, Mortgage Payments, Mortgages

James Hecker

Contact James

Focus Lending Group, Inc.
BRE #00902195 • NMLS #214601
CALL 661.295.7030
FAX: 661.244.4932
james@james4loans.com


APPLY WITH JAMES →

Connect with Me!

Search articles

Rate Quote

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Latest Articles

  • Getting A Mortgage When Self-Employed: What You Need To Know
  • On Time, Every Time: How Being Late on Monthly Payments Can Affect Your Mortgage
  • What Is A Loan Contingency: An Overview
  • What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – January 23, 2023
  • An Often-Overlooked Trick Can Help You Afford A Second House

Previous Posts

Categories

Our Location


27201 Tourney Rd. Ste 200
Valencia, CA 91355

Copyright © 2023 · Powered by MySMARTblog