Swiss mortgage rates offer favourable prospects for the mortgage market

Today’s best MoneyPark rates

A mortgage loan is the most common means of financing home ownership, and in Switzerland borrowers have long benefited from low mortgage interest rates. Unlike the more frequent turbulence in the financial markets, mortgage rates in the past have only experienced slight fluctuations, and have thus provided a very favourable climate for property buyers. Given the Swiss National Bank’s monetary policy and the low-interest policies favoured by the international central banks, experts anticipate that the customer-friendly trend in mortgage interest rates is set to continue. Consequently, this is an opportune moment for anyone with a well-conceived financial strategy to realize their dream of home ownership.

MoneyPark experts offer you independent advice which is tailored to your personal circumstances to help you secure an optimal mortgage loan with a very competitive interest rate. We can arrange a personal consultation to illustrate the various mortgage-market options and work with you to ensure your new home is set up on a solid financial footing.

The critical factors which determine the level of mortgage interest rates

Mortgage lenders provide three distinctly different forms of loan, which in turn determine the level of mortgage interest charged and the method by which it is applied:

• Fixed-rate mortgages (usually with 5- or 10-year mortgage term)
• Variable-rate mortgages
• LIBOR mortgages

With a fixed-rate mortgage, the borrower and the mortgage lender agree on a fixed loan term and an interest rate which will remain unchanged throughout the term. Thus anyone signing up to this type of loan won’t be affected by rising interest rates, though neither will they benefit from any rate falls. Mortgage terms for fixed-rate mortgages are often between 3- and 10 years, and the interest rates on 5- and 10-year loans are usually quoted for comparison purposes and to illustrate trends. In principle, the shorter the mortgage term, the lower the interest rate.

By contrast, the interest rates charged on variable-rate mortgages remain subject to market fluctuation. Though that means exposure to the risk of rising interest rates, this type of mortgage contract also enables the borrower to benefit from any interest rate falls. And furthermore, with a potentially unlimited term and contract termination which can be effected at relatively short notice, this type of mortgage offers plenty of flexibility. In order to maximize the possible gains from variable-rate mortgage arrangements, both client and consultant need to anticipate future market trends – an exercise which can never be achieved with 100% accuracy. Thus borrowers must always allow sufficient financial headroom to cope with rising interest charges.

Constant rate fluctuations apply to LIBOR mortgages too. Here, however, the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is the critical factor which governs the level of interest rates. As its name implies, this mechanism mostly regulates the interest rate for inter-bank loans, but it is also used as a base rate for financial products of private persons. In order to reflect the prevailing LIBOR rate, adjustments to the current interest rate are usually made at intervals of either 3 or 6 months – though longer or shorter intervals are also possible. The LIBOR reference rate is increased by a differential margin determined by each respective bank, and unlike a variable-rate mortgage, the loan term is fixed from the outset.

Alongside each type of mortgage loan, bank lenders also consider each borrower’s personal situation. This entails an assessment of the property buyer’s income and financial resources, plus a valuation of the property which will be assigned to the bank as security for the mortgage loan.

In the following video article MoneyPark CEO Stefan Heitmann explains the alternative options available if your bank lender rejects your funding application: