Graeme Is Purchasing A Home For $200,000 And Has A 25% Down

Graeme Is Purchasing A Home For 200000 And Has A 25 Down Payment

Graeme is purchasing a home for $200,000 with a 25% down payment. The seller has an existing mortgage with a balance of $90,000 at an attractive rate of 3.75% for the next 5 years. Graeme has two options: (1) take out a single mortgage for the full required amount at a rate of 4.25%, or (2) assume the $90,000 mortgage and take out a second mortgage for the remaining difference at a rate of 4.75%. The goal is to determine which option results in the best overall rate.

Paper For Above instruction

In analyzing Graeme's mortgage options, it is essential to understand how each alternative affects the overall effective interest rate, which reflects the cost of financing the home purchase. This detailed examination considers the structure of each option, the impact of assuming the existing mortgage, and the implications for total borrowing costs.

Step 1: Determine the total purchase price and down payment

The purchase price of the home is $200,000, with a 25% down payment.

Calculating the down payment:

\[

\$200,000 \times 0.25 = \$50,000

\]

Thus, Graeme's down payment is $50,000. The remaining amount to finance is:

\[

\$200,000 - \$50,000 = \$150,000

\]

Step 2: Analyze Option 1 – Single mortgage at 4.25%

In this scenario, Graeme obtains a single mortgage for the full $150,000 at an interest rate of 4.25%.

Step 3: Analyze Option 2 – Assume the existing mortgage and take out a second mortgage

In this scenario, Graeme assumes the existing mortgage with a balance of $90,000 at an attractive rate of 3.75%. The remaining amount to finance is:

\[

\$150,000 - \$90,000 = \$60,000

\]

Graeme then takes out a second mortgage for $60,000 at an interest rate of 4.75%.

Step 4: Calculate the weighted average interest rate for Option 2

To determine which option results in the best overall rate, we calculate the weighted average interest rate for the combined mortgages under Option 2, considering the amounts borrowed at each rate.

Total debt in Option 2:

\[

\$90,000 + \$60,000 = \$150,000

\]

Weighted average interest rate:

\[

\frac{\left( \$90,000 \times 3.75\% \right) + \left( \$60,000 \times 4.75\% \right)}{\$150,000}

\]

Calculate numerator:

\[

\$90,000 \times 0.0375 = \$3,375

\]

\[

\$60,000 \times 0.0475 = \$2,850

\]

Sum:

\[

\$3,375 + \$2,850 = \$6,225

\]

Compute overall rate:

\[

\frac{\$6,225}{\$150,000} = 0.0415 = 4.15\%

\]

Step 5: Comparison of the two options

- Option 1: Single mortgage at 4.25%.

- Option 2: Assumed existing mortgage plus second mortgage with weighted average interest rate of 4.15%.

Since 4.15% is lower than 4.25%, Option 2 results in a better overall effective interest rate.

Step 6: Additional considerations

While the weighted average interest rate indicates that assuming the existing mortgage combined with a second mortgage is more cost-effective in terms of interest rate, Graeme should also consider other factors such as:

- The remaining duration of the existing mortgage (at 3.75%) and whether it aligns with his repayment plans.

- Potential differences in closing costs, fees, or prepayment penalties associated with each option.

- Whether the assumable mortgage terms include any restrictions or conditions.

- Future interest rate changes after the initial 5-year period.

Conclusion

Based purely on interest rate comparison, assuming the $90,000 mortgage at 3.75% and financing the remaining $60,000 at 4.75% results in a lower overall effective interest rate (4.15%) compared to taking out a single mortgage of $150,000 at 4.25%. Therefore, Option 2 provides the best overall rate for Graeme.

References

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