Three people are sitting at a table talking about mortgage rates.
23.05.2022

Fixed, variable or Saron mortgage rate? Here are some explanations to help you make the right choice for the financing of your real estate project.

Choosing the right mortgage rate formula is essential to keeping your budget under control. There are a variety of choices available to you. We guide you through these choices and take a moment to consider the personal loan option.

 

Let's start with a simple question: Do you have equity?

Yes. I don't know what to do with the money I have at my disposal. 

This naturally raises the question of whether you need to take out a mortgage. Of course, it all depends on the cost of purchase, but if your cash allows you to buy everything in cash, what's the point of going into debt?

The reason is simple, the cost of money is still very cheap today. So there's no need to strip yourself of it as the interest rates are so low. It may make sense to take out a loan rather than invest all of your reserves. 

But let's face it, few of us have the benefit of this situation.

Yes, but not enough. 

You will need to have equity to be able to access a mortgage. Just like in the first case, the price is a determining factor because it is the price that will define the amount you will have to advance. Depending on the available solutions, you should expect 20% of the purchase amount; In some cases, this can be lowered to 10%. Your advisor will be able to guide you in this direction.

No. 

It gets complicated. Unlike our neighbours, the system in Switzerland provides for a mandatory minimum contribution in the form of equity. It is virtually impossible to buy a property if you do not have prior funds. The bank will not lend you 100% of the capital needed.

 

Is a mortgage loan a must?

Not necessarily.

If you answered 'yes' or 'yes but not enough', the option of a personal loan is worth considering.

What for?

Of course, it all depends on the set-up, the purchase price, your equity, etc. But consumer credit offers the advantage of having the necessary resources available quickly. 

The rates applied are higher than a mortgage rate, but the structure is not comparable, knowing that the repayment of the capital borrowed for a loan is amortized more quickly. This means that the absolute cost in terms of duration is actually much lower compared to the sum of your monthly payments, which, in the case of a mortgage, mainly cover the interest and, to a lesser extent, the principal.

Depending on your calculations and personal means, consider a personal loan as a potentially interesting financing option. Simulate on a financing platform to have a clear view of the amount, term, monthly payments and rate.

This option does not require any notarial deed, does not generate any fees and allows for quick and transparent management of your file.

 

What type of mortgage should I choose?

The Fixed Rate Option

Often available for a maximum period of 15 to 20 years, the advantage of this choice is clearly the medium-term visibility on your monthly expenses. We all notice that rates remain low, but that can and will likely move upwards in the coming months and years. An opportunity not to be missed? That seems to be the case. 

If you are more of a conservative person, the fixed rate is still an interesting option today.

The variable rate option

The main advantage is its flexibility, knowing that you have more freedom with regard to terminations and the resulting penalties. 

The potential disadvantage is obvious. If rates go up and your contract isn't locked in for the long term, you will potentially fall victim to a rising interest rate curve. Knowing the amounts for a real estate purchase are significant, the impact on your monthly payments can be significant as a slight increase in the rate applied calculated on a considerable amount still due, will increase the amount of your repayments. 

If you're a gambler by nature, this option can potentially have some nice surprises in store. However, the current trend in rates suggests that any surprises will not be in your favour.

The Saron Option

In a previous article, we talked about the Libor rate and its replacement by the Saron rate. 

This option is based on the principle of a fixed term but generally varies from 2 to 6 years.

The fluctuating nature of the rate is also included in this option and the variations taken into account are calculated over intervals ranging from 3 to 6 months.

In a way, it is a hybrid form between the fixed and variable option because it is rather fixed in the contractual period but variable in the possible fluctuation of the rate applied.

 

The Absolute Cost

We were referring to the absolute cost; your actual expenses over the life of your mortgage. 

Did you know that annual maintenance costs are sometimes higher than your depreciation? This highlights the weight of interest in your repayment plan. 

The interest rate may be low, but the amount and duration make your actual expenses more than you might think.

Of course, rent is a higher cost and this makes it possible to counterbalance, at least psychologically, this form of financing, the duration of which often covers two generations.

It is also necessary to take into account a possible capital gain on a resale.

That being said, the question arises around the form of the loan. A personal loan, depending on the reality of your financial situation and the real estate opportunity, can represent a significant and financially interesting alternative.

 

Milenia

As a leading financing platform for personal and business credit, Milenia enjoys a solid reputation both among its users and its banking partners.

Based in Switzerland, near Lausanne, the company is committed to its local roots and works closely with the main financial players in the sector. Strong values guide Milenia's teams in welcoming, advising and monitoring its customers and the resulting credit files.

Personalizing your customer experience is fundamental; especially when it comes to undertaking a real estate purchase. Such an approach on your part requires serious, transparent support dedicated to the success of your project.

As explained above, a personal loan may not be the right solution for your apartment or house purchase. A call doesn't cost you anything, though. Sound advice is worth its weight in gold. 

So don't hesitate to contact us; We will listen to you to guide you towards the choice that makes the most sense for you!



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Telecommuting: flop or not?

Since the Covid pandemic, companies have multiplied remote working methods. The most widely used is telecommuting. Two years later, has this method been successful?

 

Let's take a step back

During the lockdown, the world of work experienced a real shift.

Companies had to adapt and various means were put in place to ensure the continuity of services, sales, and the very functioning of the organization.

Do you remember?

The famous cardboard box filled with a computer, a mouse and a screen that the employees took home...

We somehow settled down somewhere in our apartment or our house.

The less fortunate had to sit on an old table at the back of their bedroom.

Children screamed in the background and parents had to juggle their work responsibilities with those of being a mother or father.

Ah... What wonderful memories!

In addition, the schedules became confused. There was no beginning and no end. We were already connected before, but now the workplace had invited itself into our home, into the family, into our home.

However, not everything had to be thrown away.

The doctor's appointment, the receipt of the Zalando package, the visit of the plumber... What required us to take time off or organize ourselves differently simply fit into his work schedule, on site.

Above all, no more time wasted on the road or on the train. We earned two hours of our living every day. That's no small feat...

We weren't the only ones. Hundreds of millions of people around the world, by obligation or freely, switched to this new way of working.

It was necessary to put in place state-of-the-art technological and IT infrastructures to enable more secure virtual exchanges of information via videoconferencing or e-mail.

It was necessary to set up a teleworking policy to give directives on working hours, the availability of employees and managers so as not to be too intrusive in private life.

Finally, regular reviews were required to assess the effectiveness of telework policies and gather feedback from employees.

The big winners? Zoom, Teams, Skype, Webex... It was a good time and the number of users exploded

 

Video conferencing platforms

In order to establish clear and effective communication channels, it is necessary to have instant messaging and video conferencing tools to maintain smooth communication between team members. This transition is being made by different players who bring specificities specific to each sector.

You may have seen that.

Some companies will use the Zoom platform, which allows simple video conferences with a discussion thread, which is easy to use and not very connected to other services.

Others will use Microsoft Teams or Webex, which offer more integrated and secure business solutions.

Skype and Google Meet round out the market leaders, at least in Europe.

 

And what about employers?

The main fear of some employers during this pandemic?

Decreased productivity.

The prevailing thought was that employees, less supervised than before, would work less given this new organizational freedom.

The endless breaks, the last-minute shopping, the Netflix binging...

We're not going to lie, the majority of teleworkers have taken advantage of this to better combine professional and personal needs.

There have been many productivity studies, too many to mention here.

In the end, productivity dropped slightly on average, but this varied enormously depending on the functions and responsibilities.

Profiles whose tasks were recurrent completed their work more quickly and, not needing to do more, to take advantage of the time available to go about their personal business.

Others worked even harder, especially early in the morning, late at night, or on weekends.

Where some managers suffered from a lack of supervision (monitoring?) of their teams; Some employees did not take well to the distance, the lack of clarity on the establishment of rules... All of them missed interpersonal relationships and this may have impacted the corporate culture and sense of well-being.

In conclusion, there is neither one statistic valid for everyone nor a representative feeling of all employers and employees. However, there is no doubt that the world of work has changed and the effects continue today.

 

Exactly. And today?

Companies are adapting to the demands of employees, especially young people entering the workforce.

They demand flexibility, adapted schedules and, yes, telecommuting.

In Switzerland, the job market is in favour of job applicants. Companies must therefore remain attractive and take these demands into account.

Companies are implementing hybrid work modes that allow the employee more time to work from home but require them to be present for a certain number of days in the office. Again, there is no single rule.

Some organizations simply refuse the principle of remote work.

Others impose a fixed day of attendance.

Some leave the choice to their teams.

One thing is for sure, remote work is here to stay, in one form or another.

More than controlling productivity, more than managing teams and workloads, the real challenge is to keep the links between employees, to ensure proximity between managers and their teams.

Finding a balance between the attractiveness of the employer brand, individual well-being and the needs of the company; This is where the effort must be directed for the future.

 

At work and at home, Milenia is always available

Accessing credit through our financing platform has never been easier.

Everything is within your reach, with customization according to your projects, we accompany you from start to finish so that your projects can see the light of day.

For your personal loan, we offer the best market conditions with 0 application fees. Everything is designed to make your life easier.

Your loan application can be done entirely remotely, with support from your personal advisor or both at the same time.

The flexibility, adaptability, personalization of your offer... All of this is embedded in our approach and services.

As the leading credit player in Switzerland, place your trust in us so that your personal dreams and projects come true.

 

 

 

 

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Loan illustration: loan of CHF 10'000. Effective annual interests rates between 4.9% and 11.95% over a 12 month period lead to total interests of between CHF 261.80 and CHF 624.80. Duration: 6-120 months; Maximum annual interest rate (including all loan handling costs) 11.95%. Loans approval are prohibited if they lead to excess debt for the consumer. (Art. 3 LCD)

 

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