Do you overpay your mortgage?

Do you overpay your mortgage?

Author
Discussion

mrmarcus

Original Poster:

663 posts

185 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
I was just thinking that in December we'll have been in our first owned place 4 years already. From day one we were aware that for every pound borrowed on the mortgage we were gonna be paying over double back so needed to get this down as much as possible. Made a real effort to try and overpay the mortgage resulting in that by end of this fourth year out of 230k originally borrowed, 170k will be left which I'm happy with as a bit of equity in these uncertain times is reassuring. How are you guys getting on with yours?

b2hbm

1,293 posts

228 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
We don't now for the simple reason that we haven't got one.

Back in the day when we were on a straight repayment mortgage we increased payments as the interest rate rose and then kept them at the same level when rates dropped. After a few months you got used to paying the extra and it was eating down the capital and thus reducing next year's payments and effectively increasing our overpayment. We also paid in a lump sum when an insurance policy matured, again knocking back the capital because it was money "we'd never had so didn't miss".

It does sound crazy and I had a lot of stick from the "economists" at work, but the result was the mortgage being paid off in 15yrs. In the end though I don't care how wise or foolish it was, knowing we really did own our home made us both feel incredibly secure in our outlook on life. (and the economists still had 10yrs payments left)

eldar

22,486 posts

202 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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I always tried to overpay by 10%, which I mostly did, except when rates went silly or I was skint. Paid it off 8 years early, which was nice.

GarryA

4,700 posts

170 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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I am overpaying mine with every spare penny I have, currently on target to clear it when I am 33 in 4 yrs time, then its time to start winding down at work.

Kermit power

29,421 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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Not at the moment!

2007 was a financial nightmare, with my wife giving up work (planned), a third baby (unplanned), a job move (planned) and my new company getting acquired 10 days later (unplanned by me) resulting in zero commission for 9 months. frown

As a result, with a mortgage interest rate of 1.86%, there's other debts which it makes sense to clear first.

MoonMonkey

2,221 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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We overpaid by about 50% of monthly payment for a couple of years. Decided about 12 mths ago we'd rather use the money to do stuff with the kids whilst they're still young so we save the same amount and blow it on family holidays, weekends away etc. Heart over-ruled the head on that one..!!

Mortgage is quite a paltry amount by todays stds and will be paid off in 10 years so am not too bothered.

5potTurbo

12,881 posts

174 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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Yep!

I have a repayment mortgage and used to put in as much money as I could, including some cashed-in investments, work annual bonuses, etc. I've paid off about 80% of the amount borrowed in 6 years!

I now pay a little more than the minimum and can see the balance reducing quickly as the repayments now equte to about 90% capital, 10% interest/month (if that makes sense?) I plan to be mortgage free in about 3 1/2 years, so 9 1/2 years to repay a 20 year mortgage.

limpsfield

6,078 posts

259 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.

Herbs

4,954 posts

235 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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been paying an extra £400 a month ever since the interest rates dropped. Was on target to pay off 12 years early (One Account) but now agreed a deal to buy a farmhouse which needs work whilst prices/rates are low and then rent the other property out which will only cost £100 a month covering the rental shortfall.

MarsellusWallace

1,180 posts

207 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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I always overpaid my mortgage-keeping the repayments high when interest rate dropped,fixing the rate put still paying as much as possible and lopping chunks off when I received bonuses when I was a profit share partner in a business years ago.I've not had a mortage for 7 years and as I bought my first property when I was 18 I was mortgage free by the time I was 33.This has allowed me to buy rental properties-I bought well so the yield has always been decent.Once again I have overpaid these as much as possible(I used all the rent to pay as much as poss off the mortgages plus paid bonuses and some spare cash off)and now have 7 paid for and 2 with small mortgages on which I plan to have paid off in the next 12 months or so.

ringram

14,700 posts

254 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
quotequote all
limpsfield said:
I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.
+1



Edited by ringram on Wednesday 22 September 02:08

GarryA

4,700 posts

170 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
quotequote all
ringram said:
limpsfield said:
I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.
+1



Edited by ringram on Wednesday 22 September 02:08
I'd rather pay back 150k for my borrowed 125k than 240k over the full term.

Bing o

15,184 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
quotequote all
limpsfield said:
I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.
I only buy my houses with cash, same as my cars. Peasant.

TheDetailDoctor

8,827 posts

216 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
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We overpay £500 a month, would pay more but the Nationwide limit us to £500.

5potTurbo

12,881 posts

174 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
quotequote all
limpsfield said:
I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.
From the man with a Maserati and a Lotus Elise? laugh
I drive a Ford and choose to pay for my house.

If you thought the content of this thread amounted to "willy waving", don't look in the one about having a Titanium American Express card!

Eric Mc

122,688 posts

271 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
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I started seriously overpaying my mortgage about ten years ago. Essentially, whenever the mortgage rate fell (as it tended to do at the time) I maintained my payments at the higher level - preventing the mortgage company from automatically reducing the monthly amount. As a result, I finished the mortgage in 2008 rather than its original target date of 2014.

It has made a world of difference to my ability to save - as well as knowing that my house is truly mine.

TheDetailDoctor

8,827 posts

216 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
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This thread has prompted me to call the Nationwide & check the term remaning, hence I am in a VERY good mood.

We only have 8 years remaining, without the overpayments it would have been nearer 20!!!!!!!

uuf361

3,155 posts

228 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
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I do overpay (£500/month)and have done so whenver possible but my rate reduces to 1.49% next month so my financial advisor is saying it's better to invest the money........I've agreed that's fine but as soon as the yield on the investment is lower than the mortgage rate then I'll take it out and pay chunks off the mortgage.


Dave_ST220

10,341 posts

211 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
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If you can over pay/have lump sums have you considered an offset? We did 12 months ago and the 1st yearly statement made me smile. A lot. If you are self employed/receive bonus payments I'd say it is a no brainer.

limpsfield

6,078 posts

259 months

Wednesday 22nd September 2010
quotequote all
Bing o said:
limpsfield said:
I love these threads as before long they should just evolve into a willy waving competition so I will kick off:

No, my butler over pays it for me.
I only buy my houses with cash, same as my cars. Peasant.
Oh, such naiviete. I have the finance because of course I can do much more with the cash such as earning around 37% per month return through my investments in mining companies and other various businesses. I have numerous directorships too.


5potTurbo said:
From the man with a Maserati and a Lotus Elise? laugh
Those are the nanny's and gardener's cars, you fool!

I bet you are the sort who buys their own furniture.

I would never lower myself to actually sitting up front and driving a motor vehicle.