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Interest-only vs repayment mortgages for buy-to-let

Buy-to-let mortgages are commonly structured as either interest-only or repayment. Each option affects monthly payments, cash flow, and long-term costs differently.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Interest-only mortgages usually have lower monthly payments
  • 2Repayment mortgages reduce the loan balance over time
  • 3Mortgage type affects cash flow, profit, and total interest paid
  • 4The choice influences ROI calculations

Interest-only mortgages

With an interest-only mortgage, monthly payments cover only the interest on the loan.

The loan balance remains unchanged until the end of the mortgage term, at which point the full balance must be repaid.

Lower monthly payments often result in higher short-term cash flow.

Repayment mortgages

With a repayment mortgage, monthly payments include both interest and capital repayment.

Over time, the loan balance reduces, which can lower interest costs but increases monthly payments compared to interest-only options.

Cash flow considerations

Interest-only mortgages typically produce higher monthly profit because payments are lower.

Repayment mortgages reduce long-term debt but may reduce monthly surplus.

Long-term cost considerations

Repayment mortgages reduce the loan balance over time, which can reduce total interest paid.

Interest-only mortgages may result in higher total interest costs over the life of the loan.

Using the calculator

The calculator allows switching between mortgage types to compare how monthly payments, profit, and ROI change under each option.

Try These Numbers in the Calculator

Put what you have learned into practice with our buy-to-let calculator.

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