What is a home loan comparison rate?
A home loan comparison rate is a percentage rate that represents a closer estimate of the total cost of the loan per year. The comparison rate typically includes the interest rate, required repayments per month, as well as most upfront and ongoing fees and charges. It helps customers identify the true cost of the loan.
Sometimes referred to as the average annual percentage rate (AAPR), it also takes into account loans with a lower introductory rate that revert to a different interest rate after a set period of time. Under the National Consumer Credit Protection Regulations (NCCPR), the comparison rate calculation includes the following:
- Loan amount of $150,000
- Loan term of 25 years
- Repayment frequency
- Interest rate
- Monthly account fee (if any)
- Annual fee (if any)
- Establishment fee (if any)
- Valuation fee (if any)
- Mortgage documentation fee (if any)
- Settlement fee
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Lenders have been required by law (since July 2003) to show you the comparison rate, to help you make a more accurate comparison when considering taking out different loans. The rationale is to force lenders to be accountable and honest about any unexpectedly high fees and charges, so they can’t just advertise an interest rate that seems too good to be true.
The comparison rate should be used as a guide only, to compare ‘like for like’ products. This is because the average house price in Australia is much higher than $150,000 – in fact according to CoreLogic, the national average dwelling value as of October 2018 was over $538,000. As well as that, many home loans are now longer than 25 years, so the comparison rate may not fully reflect the cost of a loan over 30 years.
The comparison rate does not calculate every possible cost in a loan if the charge may not apply to all borrowers, such as break fees for fixed-rate loans, late payment fees, or redraw fees.
It also does not include external charges that vary between the states and territories, such as the government stamp duty that is commonly added to the home loan balance, or conveyancing fees.
Does the comparison rate make a big difference?
Yes, in many cases. As you can see from the table below, the comparison rate for a loan can reveal quite a difference in costs between two loans that have the same advertised interest rate.
If you were just considering interest rates (also known as the advertised rate, annual percentage rate or headline rate), you might think these two loans would cost the same. You might even glance at some of the fees listed and think it all evens out over time.
But the comparison rate reveals a different story – one loan really can cost a significant chunk more than the other.
On the one hand, one of the two loans may offer different features, such as an offset account, the option to redraw, portability, or flexible repayment schedules, which may make it worth the additional cost to you.
| Comparison Rates vs. Interest Rates:
Standard Variable Rate Home Loan (Refinancing, Principal and Interest) |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Loan A | Loan B | ||
| Interest Rate | Comparison Rate | Interest Rate | Comparison Rate |
| 3.84% | 3.87% | 3.85% | 4.22% |
| Source: www.canstar.com.au. Based on a refinancing home loan with Principal and Interest repayments.
All comparison rates for home loans are based on a loan amount of $150,000 and 25-year loan term. |
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Choosing the best possible loan for your situation could mean thousands of dollars saved in interest payments and fees over the years. After all, your home is likely to be the biggest financial asset you will ever own.
Checking the comparison rate can help you to choose a loan with an overall annual cost you can afford.
Compare Home Loans Comparison Rates and Interest Rates
What’s the difference between a home loan interest rate and the comparison rate?
A home loan interest rate (a.k.a. annual percentage rate or headline rate or advertised rate) only reflects how much interest you will be charged per year on the balance of your loan, which affects your monthly repayments.
The home loan comparison rate, on the other hand, compares the overall cost per year of the loan, including most of the fees and charges that may crop up at the start of the loan or throughout the year. A home loan comparison rate includes the interest rate andalso summarises much more information than just that.
Again, it’s worth remembering that cost is calculated on a $150,000 loan over 25 years, which may not align with your circumstances.
Where do you find the comparison rate?
On the Canstar website, we list the comparison rate alongside the advertised interest rate for each loan in our comparison tables.
You can find comparison rates on home loans for various purposes – Refinancing, First Home Buyers, Next Home Buyers, Investing, and Construction Home Loans.
When you’re looking at advertisements for home loans from lenders, the comparison rate should legally be listed if they include their interest rate anywhere on the ad. For example, you may see a home loan advertisement with the text: Variable interest rate 3.95%, comparison rate 4.15%, based on loan of $150,000 over 25 years.
Another helpful place to look is the key facts sheet, where the lender has to specify the comparison rate, interest rate, and the total amount to be paid back over the life of the loan.
The table below displays a snapshot of variable rate home loan products available for first home buyers on Canstar’s database, with links to providers’ websites. The table is sorted by the current advertised interest rate (lowest-highest). The products and Star Ratings displayed are based on a loan amount of $350,000 in NSW at 80% LVR or higher and available for principal and interest repayments. Read the Comparison Rate Warning. Check upfront with your provider and read the documentation provided to confirm the comparison rate for a particular loan, and whether it meets your needs, before a committing to it.
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How do you find a great value loan?
Canstar can help make your hunt for a great value home loan easier. We provide the comparison rate for home loans on our database to suit different types of borrowers.
If you’d then like to see how the interest rate or comparison rate might work out for a particular loan in terms of monthly repayments and how much you pay over the life of the loan, you can try our home loan calculators.
Use the Home Loan Repayments Calculator to see if you can afford to pay a certain comparison rate and/or interest rate tied to a particular home loan, and use the Home Loan Comparison Calculator to compare cost of different home loans.
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