Home Loans Guide - Step 4 of 7 - Deposit

Saving for a home loan deposit and knowing how much to save is the first big hurdle home buyers face. The minimum deposit required will depend on the type of loan and the financial institution.

In Australia it is typically recommended that you save approximately 20 percent of the value of the property that you wish to purchase, to avoid paying an extra charge in the form of lender’s mortgage insurance. So if you are hoping to purchase a property worth $600,000 you should aim to save $120,000 as a deposit.

Although you will find many home loan lenders willing to accept less than 20 percent, you could save a substantial amount of money by saving a larger deposit. Put simply, the bigger the deposit, the less you need to borrow and less you pay in interest. Plus, your application will look more attractive to your lender.

Most home loans will specify a loan-to-value ratio or LVR, which is the amount of money you can borrow as a percentage of the value of the property. For example, if the loan had an LVR of 90 percent, you will need to save at least 10 percent as a deposit to be eligible for the product. So if you wanted to purchase a property valued at $600,000, you will need to have proven savings of $60,000 or more.

The downfall of saving less than a 20 percent deposit is that you may be stung with lenders mortgage insurance.

Lenders mortgage insurance or LMI, protects the lender in the case you fail to make repayments and is usually required if you borrow 80 percent or more of the value of the property.

Lenders mortgage insurance can run into the thousands of dollars so it’s one factor that shouldn’t be overlooked.

As a further incentive to save, some lenders offer better rates for bigger deposits.

Walk through the complete Home Loans Step by Step guides below;

Home Loans Guide – Step 1 of 7 – Amount
Home Loans Guide – Step 2 of 7 – Purpose
Home Loans Guide – Step 3 of 7 – Type
Home Loans Guide – Step 4 of 7 – Deposit
Home Loans Guide – Step 5 of 7 – Features
Home Loans Guide – Step 6 of 7 – Application
Home Loans Guide – Step 7 of 7 – Fees & Charges

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