- Bank is offering lowest rates for buyers with 10% to 40% deposits
The recent mortgage war has ramped up a notch with Santander making aggressive cuts across its home loan deals today.
The banking giant is now offering the lowest two-year fix available for those moving home with at least a 40 per cent deposit.
The 3.55 per cent deal comes with a £749 fee attached, which is low compared to other deals available. On a £200,000 mortgage being repaid over 25 years that would mean paying £1,007 a month.
For those buyers who would prefer to fix for five years, Santander is also offering the best deal on the market at 3.76 per cent, with a £749 fee.
It is also offering a three-year fix at 3.6 per cent, some 0.15 percentage points below the next best deal offered by Nationwide Building Society.
The move follows hot on the heels of Barclays, which cut rates on five-year fixes across all deposit sizes, some by as much as 0.3 per cent on Tuesday.
Aaron Strutt of broker Trinity Financial describes seeing somewhat of a pre-Christmas mortgage price war across the market.
He says: ‘Even though the Bank of England base rate is not at 3.5 per cent yet as many expected, it seems like the lenders are keen to offer the cheapest possible mortgages to tempt borrowers and get as close to this benchmark price before Christmas.
‘The best rates are still available for those looking to move home. The cost of funding has been coming down and no doubt many of the lenders are trimming their profit margins by offering better rates.’
What about buyers with smaller deposits?
Home movers with smaller deposits could also make savings by getting a deal with Santander.
Someone buying with a 25 per cent deposit can get a market leading 3.69 per cent two-year fix with Santander, again with a £749 fee. It’s five-year fix also tops the market at 3.86 per cent.
As for those buying with a 10 per cent deposit, Santander is offering a table topping 4.09 per cent two-year fix, with a £749 fee.
On a £200,000 mortgage being repaid over 25 years that would mean paying £1,066 a month.
Santander also tops the best buy tables for home movers buying with a 15 per cent deposit and 20 per cent deposit.
Aaron Strutt of mortgage broker Trinity Financial
While rates are slightly higher for households looking to remortgage their deal at present, rates are still below the Bank of England’s base rate of 4 per cent.
Someone remortgaging with at least 40 per cent equity in their home can bag a market leading 3.72 per cent two-year fix with Santander or a 3.83 per cent five-year fix.
Broker Aaron Strutt thinks that this could be as good as rates get this year.
He adds: ‘Santander is really going for it with its latest fixed deals so if you are on the hunt for a mortgage the bank maybe a good place to start especially if you have a larger deposit.
‘Given that the Budget is coming up soon and following our recent experience of the Liz Truss mess, there is a chance this will be the cheapest rates will get.
‘Although the hope is the next few weeks will go smoothly and rates will still come down a bit more this year.’