What does high interests mean for moving home?

“What does high interests mean for moving home?” is a common question right now, with thousands of people unsure how rocketing rates will affect their dreams of buying a house. You may be concerned that they will prevent you from securing your perfect property or wondering if you should delay your purchase. Read on to find out more. 

What are interest rates when purchasing a property? 

Interest rates when purchasing a property refer to the percentage that lenders charge on the amount borrowed for a mortgage. The lender charges interest on interest on the mortgage loan, which is stated as the annual percentage rate (APR). The Bank of England has raised its base interest rate several times in recent months to try to reduce inflation. This has led to lenders also hiking their rates since it becomes more expensive for them to borrow funds themselves. 

5 key ways higher interest rates can impact home buyers

High interest rates can affect you in several ways if you’re buying a house. Keep reading to find out the answer to the question “What does high interests mean for moving home?”. 

Higher borrowing costs 

Higher borrowing costs can be a big problem for home buyers when interest rates are high. You’re likely to pay more interest on your mortgage, making borrowing more costly and raising the overall cost of buying a property. If you’re planning on taking out a mortgage to buy a home, you’ll need to make sure you factor higher monthly payments into your budget. 

Affordability struggles 

Steeper interest rates can impact the affordability of homes, with a significant increase leading to higher monthly mortgage payments for buyers. Some people will fail to qualify for loans since they may not be able to afford these bigger payments. This means they may need to delay buying whilst rates are higher or choose to buy a cheaper home to satisfy lenders’ affordability requirements. High interest rates can limit buyers’ purchasing powers.

Stricter lending criteria

When interest rates are higher, lenders may tighten up their lending criteria. This can make it harder for buyers to qualify for a mortgage or borrow the amount they need for the property they want. When deciding whether to approve a mortgage, lenders assess a wide range of factors. These include a borrower’s creditworthiness, debt-to-income ratio and ability to comfortably pay the monthly mortgage costs. It’s not unusual for them to carry out a more thorough risk assessment in order to make sure that buyers can easily handle the higher payments. They may ask for more evidence of income and financial stability. 

Higher returns on savings 

Higher interest rates may appear to result in all kinds of doom and gloom for home buyers. However, there is a benefit. When the base rate increases, banks tend to raise interest rates on savings accounts too. This means that you’re likely to see a better return on your savings if you’re putting money away to save for a house deposit. If you’re not buying a property just yet, you can build up a larger deposit than you might have anticipated. 

Lower house prices

Another way home buyers can benefit from higher interest rates is lower house prices. When rates are higher, this can affect buyer demand, which often results in properties selling for less. Higher rates can lead to buyers delaying their purchase and sellers reducing their asking prices. According to Nationwide, house prices have tumbled by 3.5% so far this year (to June 2023), representing the largest annual drop since back in 2009. In addition, Zoopla’s house price index for May showed a 1.3% fall in house prices over the past six months. 

Should I delay buying a house due to high interest rates?

Now you know the answer to “What does high interests mean for moving home?”, you may be wondering if you should delay buying a property. You may be unsure if you should buy now before they increase further or put it off until they go back down. 

The truth is, there’s no real way to know what will happen with interest rates in the future. This means it’s best to consider your specific circumstances and goals. If you intend on living in the property for a long period of time, rates may be less important. This is because the effect of high mortgage rates can lessen as you make payments and possibly refinance in future. You may also not be in a position to delay your house purchase if you need to relocate for work, for example. 

Do you need a removal company in Bradford?

If you’ve decided not to let high interest rates stop you from buying a house, you may be looking for a removal company in advance of your move. If so, look no further than Darvills – the leading removals company in Bradford. We have been helping local people move house for many years, providing a professional and reliable removals service at a fair price. Whether you’re moving within West Yorkshire or further afield, we can assist.

At Darvills, we can carry out a free pre-move survey. This gives us a chance to visit your home and assess your requirements in greater detail, allowing us to provide you with an accurate quote for our services. We’ll tailor our service to your specific needs, ensuring your move goes smoothly from start to finish. 

Contact us 

To hire a reputable removals company in Bradford, get in touch. Call us on 01274 963 057 to discuss your requirements with one of our friendly team. Alternatively, please message us via our website and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.