Pros and Cons of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme

However, before entering into the scheme, Rate City has warned buyers to be aware of some hidden costs. 

“Under this initiative, 27 lenders, including big four banks CBA and NAB, are allowing first home buyers to take out a mortgage with as little as 5 per cent deposit, without needing to pay lender’s mortgage insurance,” Rate City said.

“But buying a home with a 5 per cent deposit, as opposed to a 20 per cent deposit, can be more expensive.”

According to the group, a person buying a $500,000 property with a 5 per cent deposit, instead of a 20 per cent deposit, would need $75,000 less initially. But with a larger loan, their mortgage repayment would be $395 extra a month and they would pay $67,067 in extra interest to the bank over 30 years.

“This is based on taking out CBA’s basic home loan at a rate of 3.13 per cent for an owner-occupier paying principal and interest,” it explained. 

Sally Tindall, research director, added: “In these uncertain financial times, where unemployment is on the rise and property prices are on the decline, borrowing with just a 5 per cent deposit can be risky.”

“Falling property prices come with both opportunities and risks. People might find they don’t need to spend as much and their deposit, as a percentage of the property price, has actually gone up.

“However, there’s a risk that property prices will fall even further and people who buy with a wafer-thin deposit could find themselves in negative equity if they’re not careful,” she said.

Potential pros of the scheme, as highlighted by Rate City, are:

• Avoid lender’s mortgage insurance.
• Get into your home sooner.
• Stop paying rent.
• Prices could rise after you purchase your property.

Potential cons of the scheme, as highlighted by Rate City, are: