Under a fixed rate, the rate does not change during the duration. An adjustable rate is one that can be changed. For instance, if I have 3% interest on something, it can be changed to, say, 3.4% under an adjustable rate.
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A Halifax mortgage allows you to choose either a fixed or adjustable mortgage while a fixed rate mortgage only allows a certain interest rate to be available during the life of the loan.
They are not good now and have never been sound financial advice. With fixed rates being so low there is very little difference right now between a fixed and an adjustable rate which makes them even worse than usual.
A fixed rate mortgage has its interest rate fixed (ie. stays the same) over the life of the loan. An adjustable rate mortgage (also called variable rate mortgage in Australia) has an interest rate that can be changed at any time by the lender. For example, if central bank interest rates go up then a variable rate loan will usually go up too. If the interest rate is fixed, then the lender can't change the rate even if their funding costs rise.
Adjustable rate mortgages are the less-stable version of a home mortgage. As opposed to a fixed-rate home mortgage, an adjustable rate home mortgage is not confined to the single interest rate that is adhered to by a fixed interest mortgage. For example, a fixed interest mortgage charges the same amount of interest regardless of how the prime interest rate for housing fluctuates. In contrast, an adjustable rate mortgage can fluctuate with market conditions, ultimately costing the borrower more.
Fixed-rate amortized loans have a constant interest rate and monthly payment throughout the loan term, providing predictability and stability. Adjustable-rate amortized loans have interest rates that can change periodically, leading to fluctuating monthly payments based on market conditions.