Mortgage rates likely to rise: brokers

Buyer beware: Interest rates are likely to go up. Photo/File

Homeowners and buyers should expect mortgage rates to creep up, brokers say.

Rothbury mortgage advisor Clive Martin said rates had been at historic lows and could be pushed up by several factors.

These included possible rate rises by the US Federal Reserve and pressure on New Zealand banks to raise rates on savings accounts to attract more deposits, which would also push up their lending rates.

"So that's a couple of double-whammies," he said. "I wish I had a crystal ball, but it's probable that interest rates will rise."

Mr Martin said people should shop around for the best mortgage rates and seek good advice.

It was hard to generalise about whether it was better to fix or float, as this was "case by case, and applicable to a client's wellbeing".

For example, a young couple about to move to one income to start a family would be in a different position to some other borrowers.

Terry Meredith of Mortgages Made Easy said he expected the floating rate to remain stable this year.

Fixed rates were "a bit harder to pick" as they were determined by international factors.

Mr Meredith said economists were expecting US rates to increase, so "at a best guess" he expected fixed rates to increase by 0.5 to 0.75 per cent over the next year.

He quoted current fixed rates from about 4.6 per cent for one year rising to 5.1 per cent for three years and increasing by half a per cent for four- to five-year terms.

"For people who want certainty of payment I would be looking at the three-year fixed rate," he said. "The other option would be to ride a discounted one-year fixed rate which could average lower over the three years."

Loan Market Mount Maunganui owner/operator Frank Philp said rates were still historically low, but he advised clients to split their loans between different fixed-term periods to mitigate risk.

Loan-to-value lending restrictions rates had slowed down investors, but Tauranga property was still "not really affordable" in relation to incomes.

- Additional reporting Carmen Hall