The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates by 0.25 per cent.
The 25 basis point fall comes on the back of a similar cut last month. The reduction is good news for people paying off a mortgage. “This will put an extra $60 into the pockets of borrowers each month,” says Domain property expert Carolyn Boyd.
The official interest rate is now 4.25 per cent.
Each 0.25 per cent drop in interest rates slices about $60 off the monthly interest cost of an average Australian mortgage.
Boyd says, coupled with last month’s cut, the drop represents a double windfall for borrowers because if they can keep their repayments at the same level they will be able to pay down their mortgages faster.
“It’s a smart idea to keep your repayments at the same amount as you were paying before this cut, and the one on Melbourne Cup day,” she says. “That way you can pay your mortgage off sooner but have no less money in your pocket than you did last month. There’s plenty to gain here with no extra pain.”
Many lenders don’t automatically readjust repayments when rates are cut, meaning borrowers often have to simply sit back and watch their loan shrink faster when rates fall.
