{"id":48630,"date":"2022-02-18T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T05:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/?p=48630"},"modified":"2022-06-13T16:34:07","modified_gmt":"2022-06-13T08:34:07","slug":"refinancing-credit-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/refinancing-credit-score\/","title":{"rendered":"Refinancing soon? How to prep for interest rate hikes &#038; check your credit score"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div><p>Between all this talk of GST hikes and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wealth-tax-singapore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wealth taxes<\/a>, it seems like many Singaporeans have a lot of growing costs to be concerned about. But the most pertinent cost for property owners might just be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/fed-raise-rates-three-times-this-year-tame-unruly-inflation-2022-01-20\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interest rate hikes<\/a>, which will affect anyone with a bank mortgage.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re currently servicing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/3-key-things-fixed-home-loan-rates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bank home loan<\/a>, you might need to refinance soon. Let us walk you through how to prepare for it.<\/p>\n<h2>The US interest rate hike, in brief<\/h2>\n<p>The US Federal Reserve, a.k.a. \u201cthe Fed\u201d, is looking to raise interest rates in 2022. But why!? To understand this, we\u2019ll need to revise some recent history.<\/p>\n<p>Recall, if you can, life before Covid-19. Interest rates generally started from 1.5% back then. It wasn\u2019t unusual to earn as much as 2% on our savings accounts, and bank loans were at times almost on par with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/bank-loan-vs-hdb-loan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HDB loan<\/a> (which has remained at 2.6% throughout).<\/p>\n<p>When Covid-19 struck in early 2020, it threatened to bring the US economy to its knees. So the US Federal Reserve slashed interest rates drastically, to almost 0%. Near-zero interest rates made it cheap to borrow money \u2014 to fund property purchases, for instance \u2014 thus encouraging consumer spending. This kept the economy afloat.<\/p>\n<p>But a resilient economy has an unpleasant side effect: inflation. So in 2022, the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again to pre-pandemic levels to combat inflation. By the end of the year, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/fed-raise-rates-three-times-this-year-tame-unruly-inflation-2022-01-20\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fed\u2019s interest rate is expected to be as high as 1%<\/a> &#8211; up from the current 0.25%.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/us-fed-zero-interest-rates-home-loan-singapore.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34598\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/us-fed-zero-interest-rates-home-loan-singapore.png\" alt=\"us fed zero interest rates home loan\" width=\"1200\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/us-fed-zero-interest-rates-home-loan-singapore.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/us-fed-zero-interest-rates-home-loan-singapore-150x88.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What does it mean for homeowners in Singapore?<\/h2>\n<p>But how do the Fed\u2019s actions affect us halfway across the world? Well, the US is a global trendsetter for interest rates. Whatever it does, other economies in the developed world follow.<\/p>\n<p>When the Fed slashed interest rates during Covid, our local banks\u2019 mortgage rates plummeted. These super-cheap home loans of the past two years were one reason why Singapore\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/property-trends-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">property market boomed throughout the pandemic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But our days of cheap mortgages are numbered. So if your current mortgage interest lock-in period is expiring soon, you may want to gird your loins for <strong>higher interest rates and more expensive monthly repayments<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you have a $1m condo and your current mortgage interest rate is 1%. Here\u2019s how much your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/common-mortgage-mistakes-avoid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monthly repayment<\/a> is according to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/calculators\/mortgage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mortgage calculator<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture1.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48635\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture1.png\" alt=\"Mortgage breakdown calculator example\" width=\"624\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture1.png 624w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture1-150x69.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>What happens with an interest rate hike to 2%?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture2.png\" class=\"img-link media-img img-link media-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48636\" src=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture2.png\" alt=\"Mortgage breakdown example\" width=\"624\" height=\"284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture2.png 624w, https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Picture2-150x68.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>With a 1% increase in interest, you\u2019ll be paying <strong>S$360 more every month<\/strong>. That\u2019s an extra S$4,320 a year, practically enough to fund a leisure trip on the VTL of your choice. Note that your interest payments would also double from S$625 per month to $1,250.<\/p>\n<h2>Yikes! What should homeowners do?<\/h2>\n<p>First of all, remain calm. A 1% increase in interest rates is big and will not happen overnight. The US Federal Reserve is only expected to start increasing interest rates in March 2022, but it\u2019ll be in three stages.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, if your mortgage is still in the lock-in stage, there\u2019s nothing you can do until this period expires. After that, the bank will notify you of your new mortgage interest rates and instalments.<\/p>\n<p>Now there are three things you can do:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Nothing.<\/strong> You might look around mortgage websites and find that the new rate offered by your bank is competitive. In this case, there is no action needed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reprice your home loan.<\/strong> If your bank offers a cheaper loan package, you can ask to reprice your mortgage to that one. As there is no change in provider, the bank can generally do this with minimal hassle, and you only need to pay a small admin fee.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Refinance your home loan.<\/strong> If you want to take advantage of a much more attractive offer from another bank, you can opt to refinance, i.e. jump ship. Refinancing generally incurs more fees, but some banks offer waivers to attract new customers, leading to greater savings in the long run.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>From the bank\u2019s perspective, refinancing customers is no different from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/property-loan-approval\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">customers applying for a new home loan<\/a>. As much as the new bank wants your business, it also minimises risk with such large sums involved. Therefore, you\u2019ll be subject to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/affecting-home-loan-approval\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">slew of rigorous checks<\/a>, including getting your property value appraised by a professional.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, any information around your income, credit history, and repayment behaviour \u2014 including your credit score \u2014 will be placed under the microscope. <strong>Fail this credit assessment component and your refinancing application might be rejected.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>How to check your credit score<\/h2>\n<p>Anyone looking to refinance their home loan should get their credit score to present a clean bill of financial health to the prospective new bank. Your credit score is a four-digit number that tells the bank how likely you will default on your repayments.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Credit score\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Risk grade\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Probability of default<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1911 to 2000\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AA\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u22640.27%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1844 to 1910\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BB\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.27% to 0.67%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1825 to 1843\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CC\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.67% to 0.88%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1813 to 1824\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DD\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.88% to 1.03%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1782 to 1812\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EE\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.03% to 1.58%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1755 to 1781\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FF\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.58% to 2.28%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1724 to 1754\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GG\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2.28% to 3.48%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1000 to 1723\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HH\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3.48%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Don\u2019t recall ever signing up for this credit score thingy? You didn\u2019t. It\u2019s automatically administered by the Credit Bureau Singapore (CBS). Everyone who\u2019s ever taken a loan (including a mortgage) or used a credit card in Singapore has one.<\/p>\n<p>As you go through life borrowing and repaying (or not), these transactions are captured by the CBS and feed into your credit report, of which your credit score is a component. Banks then request this data from CBS when they\u2019re deciding whether to loan you money.<\/p>\n<p>While the final decision is at the bank\u2019s discretion, banks are generally <a href=\"https:\/\/dollarbackmortgage.com\/blog\/good-credit-score-singapore-improve-a-bad-credit-rating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">not inclined to accept customers<\/a> with a <strong>CC risk grade or worse, meaning a credit score of 1843 or below<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>To find out where you stand, you can check your credit score by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.creditbureau.com.sg\/buy-my-credit-report.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">buying a credit report from CBS<\/a>. Alternatively, apply for a new credit card with any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.creditbureau.com.sg\/about_cbs_members.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBS member<\/a> and you can request it when your application gets approved or rejected.<\/p>\n<h2>How to improve your credit score<\/h2>\n<p>So maybe you haven\u2019t been great with your loan repayments in the past couple of years and it\u2019s showing up in your less-than-stellar credit score. <strong>Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not the end of the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your credit score is continuously updated with new transaction data. So while you may not be successful at refinancing your home loan right this instant, you can work on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/improve-credit-score-hdb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">improving your credit score<\/a> so that you can get your application accepted eventually.<\/p>\n<p>For starters, pay all your existing bills and make sure there\u2019s no outstanding debt. Make sure to repay all loans and credit card bills in full and on time from now on. You\u2019ll want to keep at least one credit card active, charging to it and making full payments each month. These \u201cgood behaviour\u201d transactions will feed into your credit score and improve it over time.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, avoid applying for too many credit cards or loans at once. This kind of behaviour suggests that you\u2019re \u201ccredit hungry\u201d and can worsen your credit score.<\/p>\n<p>After a few months of being on your best financial behaviour, your credit score should start to improve, albeit in a slow and steady fashion. Improving your credit score to at least 1844 (BB risk grade) will open up more financial options for you \u2014 including refinancing your home loan to a cheaper one.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<\/p>\n<h2>Will you refinance or ride out the interest rate hikes? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Facebook post.<\/h2>\n<p>If you found this article helpful, 99.co recommends checking out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/rising-interest-rates-housing-affordability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Now that interest rates are rising, how will it affect housing affordability?<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/9-things-about-sora-home-loan-interest-rate-before-replaces-sor-sibor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">9 things about SORA for home loan interest rates (before it replaces SOR and SIBOR).<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Looking for a property? Find the home of your dreams today on Singapore\u2019s fastest-growing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/?utm_source=blog%20main%20site%20conversion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">property portal 99.co<\/a>! If you would like to estimate the potential value of your property, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/property-value-tool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">99.co\u2019s Property Value Tool<\/a> for free. Meanwhile, if you have an interesting property-related story to share with us, drop us a message <a href=\"marketing@99.co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> \u2014 and we\u2019ll review it and get back to you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Between all this talk of GST hikes and wealth taxes, it seems like many Singaporeans have a lot of growing costs to be concerned about. But the most pertinent cost for property owners might just be interest rate hikes, which will affect anyone with a bank mortgage. If you\u2019re currently servicing a bank home loan,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":22808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"persona":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Refinancing soon? How to prep for interest rate hikes &amp; check your credit score - 99.co<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Planning to refinance your home loan in 2022? Find out how to prepare for the upcoming interest rate hike, plus check and improve your credit score.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/refinancing-credit-score\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Refinancing soon? How to prep for interest rate hikes &amp; check your credit score\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Planning to refinance your home loan in 2022? 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