Five Simple Steps To Slash Up To 15 Years Off Your Mortgage

Step 1 - Assess Your Financial Situation 

Net Worth 

Before you can work out where you are heading, you need to understand where you  are coming from. That’s why it’s so crucial to assess your current financial situation – you need to know what you are up against. 

Start by listing out all your assets. This includes your home, savings accounts,  investments such as shares and bonds, cash on hand, vehicles and other  considerable physical assets. 

Next, move onto your liabilities. This includes any debt you have. Obviously, the  main one will be your mortgage. Also add any credit card debt, lines of credit and  overdrafts, car loans, business loans and student loans. 

Subtracting your net liabilities from your net assets will give you an indication of your  net worth, or your overall financial position. Don’t stress if you have a low net worth.  We can work on that. Honesty is more important than pride at this stage. 

Useable Equity 

Now it’s time to work out the amount of useable equity you have. This is different  from equity. 

Equity is calculated by subtracting the amount owed on your property from its value.  So, for example, if your property is worth $750,000 and you owe $550,000, then your  equity is $200,000. 

Useable equity, on the other hand, is calculated concerning the amount a lender is  willing to loan you – usually up to 90% of a property's value. So, take 90% of your  property's value: 

$750,000 * 0.9 = $675,000 

Next, take that number and subtract the amount you owe: 

$675,000 - $550,000 = $125,000 in useable equity. 

Why is this important? Because you can use $125,000 as a deposit for an  investment property! By using your current home as leverage, you can borrow 80%  or more of an investment property’s value from a lender. This will give you enough  money to purchase an investment property without having to use any cash of your  own.  

The best part about this strategy is that it’s a simple, 100% legal method that anyone  can use. While many people are unaware of this ingenious strategy, almost all of  Australia’s elite property investors use the power of leverage to build extensive  portfolios worth tens of millions of dollars.

Another advantage of this method is that you can buy an investment property without  having to empty your bank account of all your hard-earned savings. You can  purchase your first investment property now, instead of spending years saving up for  a deposit. This allows you to kickstart your wealth creation and get ahead of the  game. By the time you retire, you could have two… three.. even four properties or  more earning you a healthy, passive income – and it all starts by leveraging your  current home to your advantage.

Step 2 – Talk To An Industry Specialist Like Your Property  Investing 

Now that you have a strong indication of your overall financial position, it’s time to  start planning a way to increase your wealth. The best way to do this is to talk to an  industry professional. That’s what smart investors do. They understand the limits of  their knowledge. They can’t be experts in everything to do with property investment – so they use professionals to fill in the gaps of their knowledge and leverage the  advice of people who have spent decades working in the industry. 

At this point, you might be tempted to go to your bank, but I would advise against this  option. Why? Because a bank manager is not a wealth strategist. He or she does not  work for you – they work for the bank. As such, there is little incentive to help you get  out of debt. Instead, opt for a specialist property investor. They will help you devise a  tailored plan that benefits you, rather than one which benefits the bank. 

At Your Property Investing, for example, we conduct a deep dive into your current  financial situation and have a detailed discussion of your goals for wealth creation.  Then, we organise a tailored strategy to help you achieve these goals, pay off your  mortgage and set yourself up for a financially free retirement. We help you  understand the industry inside out. That way, instead of being in debt to the bank,  you can beat them at their own game.

Step 3 – Implement The Tailored Plan You Have Agreed  Upon 

The next step is to implement the plan you and your investment advisor have agreed  upon. At Your Property Investing, this will include several aspects, from the  consolidation of your debts to a simple cashflow plan you can follow. 

As part of the plan, you will likely need to restructure your home loan. There are  numerous ways to do this to reduce the amount of money you will pay over the  lifetime of your loan. As an example, one method is to use an offset account. 

An offset account works similarly to a standard transaction account, but it is linked to  your home loan. While most lenders will charge a fee for the account, it will allow you  to reduce the amount of interest you pay. This is because you do not need to pay  interest on the amount you have in your offset account. 

For example, let’s say your home loan is $500,000. You deposit $20,000 into your  offset account. Now, instead of being charged interest on the total amount, you’ll be  charged interest on $480,000. This will continue to happen as long as the $20,000  remains in the offset account. 

An offset account is just one of many ways you can reduce the amount of interest  you have to pay. At Your Property Investing, we can help you put the best structure  in place to keep more money in your pocket, allowing you to invest what you save to  generate greater long-term wealth.

Step 4 – Stay On Track To Meet Your Goals 

Once we have implemented the tailored strategy, you simply need to hold yourself  accountable to ensure you remain on track to reach your goals. You won’t be alone,  of course. We will review the plan every six months to ensure key performance  indicators are being met. 

Along the journey, there are other ways you can increase your chance of success.  By learning how to take full advantage of your income, for example, you can speed  up your mortgage repayments. That’s the goal here after all – to pay off your  mortgage quickly. 

The best thing you can do to make this easier is to maximise your income. How? By  reducing your weekly expenses. This does not mean you have to stop spending. Far  from it. But you should sit down with your family and work out which of your  expenses are necessary, and which can be cut down. 

Instead of ordering takeaway every weekend, try cooking at home. Rather than  buying your morning coffee from your local café every day, make one at home. It’s  up to you to separate the wants from the needs. 

You don’t have to completely sacrifice your current lifestyle, but saving a few dollars  here and there can quickly add up. And every dollar you contribute to paying off your  home can reduce the amount of interest you pay and help you eradicate debt more  quickly. 

Step 5 – Reap The Rewards (the best one!) 

Successful property investment can bring many good things to your life. It can help  you pay off your debt and enjoy a comfortable life with your family. It can help you  retire early without relying on the pension or your superannuation to pay the bills. It  can give you the freedom to travel the world and make the most of your golden  years. 

Of course, generating substantial wealth takes time. It requires patience and  discipline. But the rewards are worth it. By getting started today, you will put yourself  on the path to future financial freedom. My team and I can help you stay on track to  ensure you reach your goals.

Take the first step today

With more than two decades of experience in the industry, I know how to craft property investment strategies that deliver returns. For a single, one-off fee, I guide my clients through every step of the process, from defining your goals to executing your strategy.

In line with your strategy, I’ll research and find the properties that will help you achieve your financial goals and hold your hand through the buying stage and beyond. It’s the faster, smarter way to grow your wealth; putting money in your pocket without you having to lift a finger.

Book a wealth accelerator call so we can start paying down your mortgage and part of building your strategy for a wealthier future.

The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute financial advice. You should seek independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice for your own unique circumstances.

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