1 Year Fixed Home Loan Rates Background

Compare 1-year fixed home loans

With interest rates rising, some borrowers are fixing their home loans for the certainty of locking in their rates over a set period. We’ve sorted our comparison table to display 1-year fixed rate home loans from our Online Partners for owner-occupiers making principal and interest repayments. The results shown are sorted by highest Star Rating, then lowest comparison rate, then alphabetically by provider name.

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What is a 1-year fixed rate home loan?

A one-year fixed rate home loan is one in which the interest rate you’ll pay on the loan is locked in or ‘fixed’ for a period of a year. This means that your required repayments will remain consistent for that whole length of time, irrespective of whether your lender raises or lowers interest rates.

Generally speaking, lenders offer fixed home loans for a duration of one, two, three, four or five years, as well as variable home loans, with rates that can go up or down in line with the cash rate. The RBA explains banks consider funding costs, competition from other banks for borrowers, and the risk of default from existing borrowers in setting their interest rates. Some lenders offer ‘split rate’ loans, combining fixed and variable components.

If you’re curious about one-year fixed home loan rates, then there are some potential advantages and drawbacks that you may be interested to know about.

What are potential advantages of a 1-year fixed home loan?

One-year fixed loans have a number of potential advantages, including:

  • The certainty of knowing that your repayments will remain stable and you will pay the same from month to month, especially at a time when variable rates are going up.
  • The fact that shorter fixed-rate loans such as those that are fixed for one year can be cheaper than longer fixed rates, meaning that if you wish, you can lock your rate in for a year and assess the market conditions at the end of that year.
  • The flexibility that comes with locking in a rate for a short time, and knowing you have your options open at the end of the one-year period.

What are potential drawbacks of a 1-year fixed home loan?

One-year fixed home loans can also come with some potential drawbacks, including:

  • The fact that you may have to pay a break fee if you choose to end your fixed loan term early or refinance to another institution.
  • The lack of features that come with some variable rate loans, such as offset accounts and redraw facilities.
  • The fact that you may be penalised for making additional repayments. Note that there is some flexibility with this, depending on the lender, and some will allow borrowers to make additional repayments on a fixed-rate loan.
  • The potential to miss out on a lower interest rate if interest rates fall but you have locked yours in with your lender.

Can you break a 1-year fixed home loan?

If you want to break your fixed-rate loan before the fixed term ends, it could be possible, depending on the terms and conditions of the loan, but you might be charged a ‘break cost’ or a ‘break fee’. This applies to one-year fixed home loan rates as well as other kinds of fixed home loans, and it is intended to compensate the lender for loss of profits they might face as a result of you breaking the terms of the contract.

Break fees will vary, but are generally calculated with consideration of the interest rate you locked in (compared with the current interest rate), how much time remains on your fixed-rate term, and the loan amount you originally borrowed.

How long can you fix a home loan for?

The length of time you choose to fix a home loan is negotiated between you and your lender. You can generally choose the time period for which you lock in or ‘fix’ your interest rate – depending on who you take out a home loan with and what your needs and priorities are, this could be one, three, four, five or even 10 years.

How do you lock in a low-interest rate?

When you take out a one-year fixed rate home loan, or any fixed rate home loan for that matter, it is important to keep in mind that your interest rate will typically be locked in at the date you settle on the property, not the date you applied.

If interest rates have changed between the time you apply for a fixed loan product and the time you settle, you may end up paying a higher rate. Note that some institutions will lock in a rate before settlement if you are willing to pay a lock-in fee to guarantee it.

What happens at the end of a 1-year fixed home loan term?

When the 12 months of your fixed term home loan come to an end, the loan will typically revert to a variable rate for the remainder of the term, which could be many more years.

At the end of the fixed-rate term, you are able to refinance with your existing lender, or another. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can refinance to a fixed, variable or split rate home loan.

Which lenders have the lowest 1-year fixed-rate home loans?

If you’re in the market to compare 1-year fixed home loan rates or find a loan that suits your particular needs, you can compare home loans at the top of this page to find a lender with a competitive rate. You can also view the winners of Canstar’s Fixed Rate Home Loan Awards to find out which lenders offer value for money to Australian home buyers.

Canstar Star Ratings and Awards

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Looking for an award-winning product or to switch providers or brands? Canstar rates products based on price and features in our Star Ratings and Awards. Our expert Research team shares insights about which home loan products offer 5-Star value and which super funds offer outstanding value. We also reveal which providers have the most satisfied customers in our dedicated Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 1-year fixed home loan?

A one-year fixed rate home loan is one in which the interest rate you’ll pay on the loan is locked in or ‘fixed’ for a period of a year. This means that your required repayments will remain consistent for that whole length of time.

How long can you fix a home loan for?

The length of time you choose to fix a home loan is negotiated between you and your lender. Depending on who you take out a home loan with and what your needs and priorities are, this could be one, three, five or even 10 years.

What happens at the end of a fixed home loan term?

At the end of the fixed-rate term, you are generally able to refinance with your existing lender or another, and depending on your preferences and needs, you may choose a fixed or variable rate, or a split rate.

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About our finance experts

Alasdair Duncan, Senior Finance Journalist

Alasdair Duncan

Alasdair Duncan has more than 15 years’ media experience and has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Journalism from the University of Queensland.. Before joining Canstar, Alasdair was a News Editor at Pedestrian.TV, part of Australia’s leading youth media group. In seven years at the company, he wrote about a broad array of topics from lifestyle and entertainment and social media to finance and breaking news. His work has appeared in a number of publications, from Pedestrian.TV to ABC News, Junkee, Rolling Stone, Kotaku, the Sydney Star Observer and The Brag. Alasdair understands that whether you’re buying your first home, choosing a super fund or even hunting for a good deal on pet insurance, the more information you have, the more likely you are to find a better deal. In his writing, he strives to tackle complex financial concepts and make them approachable for everyday Australians. When he is not writing about finance for Canstar, Alasdair can probably be found at the beach with his two dogs or listening to podcasts about pop music. You can follow Alasdair on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Josh Sale, Home Loans Ratings Manager

Headshot of Josh Sale, CanstarAs Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Home Loan Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right home loan for them.

Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their home loans, always reminding home buyers that finding the right loan can be as important for your finances as negotiating a fair property purchase price. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine, discussing topics including home loan equity and wider finance trends.

When it comes to Josh’s own property journey, the home loans expert once bought two houses in the same transaction when he ensured the cubby house his daughter loved was listed on the purchase contract for his new home. You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.


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A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

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TMDs are compulsory for most financial products. TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

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We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

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Before you elect to terminate or modify existing lending arrangements, we recommend you consider (i) your personal circumstances, and (ii) any associated fees, exit costs and application costs that may be applicable as well as the impact these changes could have on you. We suggest you consider seeking independent advice from a qualified adviser.

“Interest-only loan” generally means a loan where you will only pay interest during the interest-only term. That means you won’t be making payments which reduce debt during the interest-only term.