Intelligent
Finance, often considered the innovators when it comes to the
offset mortgage market, is offering
loans at a surprisingly good
rate . Would-be
borrowers can take out an offset
mortgage at
base rate plus 0.09 per cent. In today’s market this leaves the borrower with a pay rate of 4.59 per cent. For
remortgage customers, the
interest is base rate plus 2.29 per cent – a rate of 4.79 per cent.
These offset
tracker mortgage products are fixed until September 2008, and both have an arrangement fee of £399. However, in the case of
remortgages, the
mortgage lender pays for legal and valuation fees. The
mortgages are available for up to 85 per cent (LTV)
Loan to Value, with early
repayment charges of 2 per cent.
Intelligent Finance are also offering base rate plus 0.15 per cent – but this is only available on
home loans of £200,000 plus.
Rival
lender Woolwich offer lifetime trackers with no time limit, at base rate plus 0.48 per cent with no early repayment penalties. Offset
mortgages are most effective for those people who have healthy
current account balances, or large
savings . Much of
your mortgage does not attract interest in this instance.