Yes, you can get a mortgage at 60, and you might be surprised to find out how many options are available to you that offer both the security and the flexibility that you will need to make the most of your retirement, whether you are 60 or older.
Getting a mortgage when you're over 60 is almost the same as getting a mortgage when you're younger — but you will need to prove a source of income if you're no longer getting pay stubs. To get the best deal, compare mortgage lenders before getting started.
A standard rule of thumb applies, regardless of age: So long as your mortgage payments are no more than 45 percent of your gross income, you should be able to get the mortgage.
Summary: maximum age limits for mortgages
Many lenders impose an age cap at 65 - 70, but will allow the mortgage to continue into retirement if affordability is sufficient. Lender choices become more limited, but some will cap at age 75 and a handful up to 80 if eligibility criteria are met.
Senior citizens can get mortgage loans just like everyone else – it all depends on income, credit score, and cash available. Even seniors into their 90s can get mortgages if they qualify financially. There are varying reasons for wanting a mortgage.
Summary. Buying a home with a mortgage as a retiree can be more difficult than buying a home with standard employment income. Most lenders consider pension, Social Security and investment income as your regular income.
You're never too old for a mortgage loan — and if you're at least 18, you're not too young to take out a mortgage loan, either. Mortgage lenders are not allowed to use age as a factor for denying borrowers a mortgage loan.
Santander supports older borrowers by increasing interest only mortgage lending to age 70. From Tuesday 7 February, Santander will be extending the maximum Interest Only (IO) mortgage lending age from 65 to 70.
There's no age that's considered too old to buy a house. However, there are different considerations to make when buying a house near or in retirement.
A lifetime mortgage is a type of equity release, a loan secured against your home that allows you to release tax-free cash without needing to move out. Lifetime mortgages are available to homeowners aged 55 or over. You can take the money as a lump sum or as series of lump sums.
Although some lenders set their own maximum age limits, there is no maximum age for applying for a mortgage – so yes, mortgages for pensioners do exist. The golden rule is simply the same as for any mortgage: you need to prove you can repay the loan, one way or another.
As long as you are 18 or older, your age won't lower your chances of qualifying for a mortgage loan. Mortgage lenders are not allowed to use age as a reason to deny your request for a mortgage loan, whether you are 60, 70, 80 or 90. This doesn't mean, though, that lenders have to provide mortgage financing to you.
The Bottom Line
If you're in your 50s, it's not too late to buy a new home, but it's key to ask the right questions and make the wisest decisions possible. Above all, make sure you won't be stuck making mortgage payments years after retirement. Gallup. "Most U.S. Employed Adults Plan to Work Past Retirement Age."
If you're thinking of buying a house, there are at least 10 good reasons not to buy one. Some of the reasons include: not having a down payment, having bad credit or a high debt ratio, having no job security, and renting being 50% cheaper.
Barclays: Barclays state that the maximum age at the end of the mortgage term should be 70 or your retirement age, which is sooner. However, they will still consider persons older than this so long as they can provide evidence that they will be able to repay fees during retirement.
Nationwide raises mortgage borrowing age limit to 85.
The Halifax says it is reacting to the growth in Britain's ageing population by increasing its upper limit for mortgages from 75 to 80. The lender decided on this move based on growing political concern about a lack of credit for the older population.
No more than 30% to 32% of your gross annual income should go to mortgage expenses, such as principal, interest, property taxes, heating costs and condo fees. Total Debt Service (TDS) Ratio. TDS looks at the gross annual income needed for all debt payments like your house, credit cards, personal loans and car loan.
There's no true “minimum” income to buy a house. However, lenders want to know you can afford the mortgage. That means you need to prove you have enough income to cover your future monthly payments. One way lenders determine affordability is by looking at your debt-to-income ratio (DTI).
In most cases you can take money from your private pension to buy a property. This is because from the age of 55 you can generally take as much or as little money as you like from a private pension.
To get a mainstream mortgage over 60, you need to prove that your income is enough to afford the monthly payments. You'll also need a decent credit score. To qualify for equity release you'll need: to own your home outright (but you can use equity release to pay off your mortgage)
A guaranteed way to retire without a mortgage is to sell your current home at a profit and use the proceeds to rent a place to live in during retirement. Although it might seem as if you'd just be writing a check to a landlord instead of a lender, the differences between renting and owning can be considerable.
There is no definitive answer as to whether renting or owning a home is better. The answer depends on your own personal situation—your finances, lifestyle, and personal goals. You need to weigh out the benefits and the costs of each based on your income, savings, and how you live.
In fact, as long as you're a legal adult (over the age of 18), it's illegal for a mortgage lender to decline you based on your age—regardless of being 21, 60, or 99-years-old, you can't be denied a mortgage because of your age.
Pension income is just about as reliable and stable an income as one could receive, so long as it can be evidenced as such, and most lenders will consider 100% of the income (for other income types some lenders only consider a smaller % than actually earned, depending on risk).