When applying for a home loan, applicants will choose between a fixed or variable rate loan. Understanding how a variable rate loan works can help you make the best decision for a home loan.

With a variable rate home loan, the borrowed funds for the home purchase are charged against a fluctuating interest rate that changes with market conditions. Over the course of the loan, the interest rate can change drastically, potentially leading to lower interest costs throughout the term of the loan.

A variable rate loan should be carefully considered by borrowers — while it can provide the opportunity for favourable interest rates, the exposure to the volatility of the market can result in much higher interest rates as well. A good understanding of current and future market trends will be required to determine if a variable rate home loan is worth taking on.

Borrowers who are confident of a future decrease in the interest rate will be best suited to taking on a variable rate loan for a home purchase. Most of the time, lenders will have their own forecasts for the interest rate and will adjust the loan terms for a variable rate loan accordingly.

Borrowers should also be prepared to face changing repayment amounts on a variable rate loan — market fluctuations will cause repayments to increase or decrease, requiring borrowers to have more financial flexibility to fulfil them. 

In general, variable rate loans are more advantageous for borrowers that plan to pay off the loan within a short time frame with an anticipated low interest rate. Over a longer period of time, the cost savings from a low interest rate period can become offset by balances in the market.

How to Get A Variable Rate Loan in Australia 

  1. Determine how much you need to borrow
  2. Consider how long the variable interest rate term should be
  3. Use a loan calculator to find a comfortable level of repayments during the term period
  4. Approach a mortgage broker to assess your suitability for a variable rate loan, as well as gather possible options from a variety of lenders
  5. Choose a lender who offers the best terms for your financial situation and goals
  6. Gather the required documents and apply for a variable rate loan

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