When applying for a loan, interest rate is certainly one of the most important factors to determine whether a borrower accepts a loan or continues to shop their loan. An important decision you will need to make is whether or not you want the interest rate to be fixed or variable.

Fixed interest rates are stable over the duration of the loan, whereas variable rates, the most common type, fluctuate in accordance with changes in the national interest rate. Variable interest rates are generally used for smaller loans.

Positively, fixed rates make budgeting easier and provide security against sudden increases in the national interest rate. Conversely, should the national rate decrease, you may end up paying greater interest than you would on a variable rate.

Though appealing to most, fixed rate mortgage loans aren