Mortgage Amortization Period
Choosing the length of your amortization period, which means the number of years you will need to pay off your mortgage, is an important decision that can affect how much interest you pay over the life of your mortgage.
Historically, the standard amortization period has been 25 years. However, shorter and in some cases longer time frames may be available depending on the amount of down payment you have available.
A shorter amortization saves you money as you will pay less in interest costs over the life of your mortgage. Your regular mortgage payment amount would be higher than if you had selected a longer amortization, as more of your payment goes towards paying down your principal balance. However, the benefits are that you build the equity in your home faster and are mortgage free sooner.
A longer amortization provides you lower monthly payments and because of this it is appealing to many people. However, it does mean that more interest will be paid over the life of the mortgage and you will build the equity in your home at a slower pace.
Note: If you choose an amortization over 30 years, you must have a down payment of at least 20%.
