People aged 18-24 are more than twice as likely to choose a tracker mortgage than any other age group, according to Uswitch.com.
As part of their mortgage statistics report, Uswitch surveyed over 2,000 homeowners in order to investigate how homeowners from different age groups were utilising the potential of tracker mortgages.
The research found that tracker mortgages are much more popular for homeowners aged 18-24, as 17.82% took on the risk of fluctuating interest rates influencing their monthly repayments, 13.67% more than 25–34-year-olds.
In light of these findings, Claire Flynn, mortgage expert at Uswitch.com, advised: “Give your finances a health check: a good credit history is essential to getting a good mortgage deal, so be sure to check your credit report for the full picture of all your outstanding debts.
“It’s vital to make sure that all the information is correct, as any mistakes may hurt your chances of securing a loan.
“Try to reduce spending: not only does lowering your spending help save for a deposit, but fewer outgoing payments may also help your chances of being accepted for a loan.
“Review any direct debits or standing orders you have set up and see where it’s possible to cut back.”
Furthermore, Uswitch found that standard variable rate (SVR) and discounted mortgages are also much more popular for 18–24-year-olds, at 25.74% and 14.85% respectively.
While fixed-rate mortgages are the most popular across all age brackets, they are utilised far less by the youngest homeowners.
At least half of every other age bracket has a fixed-rate mortgage – with 4 in 5 (80.73%) of 25–34-year-olds choosing this rate – but only 41.58% of 18–24-year-olds opted for this deal.
At 7.47%, 45–54-year-olds are the second most likely to choose tracker mortgages.
While far less likely than 18–24-year-olds (17.82%), 45–54-year-old homeowners are twice as likely to opt for a tracker deal than 35–44-year-olds, the least likely of any age group analysed (3.72%).
Standard variable rate mortgages are also more popular with 45–54-year-olds, as 1 in 5 (20.24%) have taken these mortgage plans.
SVRs also pose potential risks, as the interest rates are dictated by the lender themselves, rather than the Bank of England.
More than 1 in 5 (6.56%) of those 55 or older have taken tracker mortgages, and the potential benefits and risks that come with it.
While only 56.56% opted for a fixed-rate mortgage, they were still less likely to have tracker deals than 45–54-year-olds, despite 70.84% of them having a fixed-rate plan.
This is because over a third (35.66%) of those 55 or older chose a standard variable rate mortgage, the most analysed in the study and 23.70 percentage points more than 25–34-year-olds.
Flynn continued: “Apply with caution: Don’t be tempted to make multiple mortgage applications just to see what kind of offers you can get.
“Every time you apply for a mortgage, the lender will perform a hard credit check which can affect your credit score.
She concluded: “Instead, consider talking to a mortgage broker to get a better understanding of what deals are the right fit for you.”
Further details of the research can be found here: https://www.uswitch.com/mortgages/mortgage-statistics/
