Switching mortgages could save nearly $48,000 in interest: Canstar

Switching mortgages from the average standard variable rate to the average lowest rates on the market could save a mortgage holder nearly $48,000 of interest over the lifetime of a loan, new figures from Canstar reveal.

Canstar, Australia's biggest financial comparison website, calculated the average standard variable rate of a mortgage is 4.43%.

The average of the lowest rates is 3.71%, a difference in repayments of $159 a month, based on a $400,000 home loan.

Over the lifetime of a loan that equates to $47,653 of interest.

Canstar finance expert Steve Mickenbecker says what a difference a month makes, as the RBA look likely to cut rates in the not too distant future.

"Weak December quarter GDP numbers followed by lower than expected jobs growth, have taken a rate increase off the agenda altogether," Mickenbecker says.

He says a lower cash rate looks inevitable, however suggested for now the RBA is still monitoring important figures in case there are further declines.

"The RBA could be keeping its powder dry to leave room to move if we start to see even more disturbing GDP and jobs numbers, and property prices in coming quarterly results.

"Lenders are factoring in cuts, with 274 fixed rate cuts this calendar year. The bigger rate cuts are in the 4 and 5 year terms, with funding costs for Australian lenders following the downward trend for US longer term interest rates.

"The increased wholesale funding costs that drove up home loan rates for existing borrowers up from September last year have since been reversed, with the bank bill swap rate falling again.

"Lenders have not returned these rate increases, but have invested them in lower rates for new borrowers.

"When the RBA does move, the questions will be how much will the banks pass on and will cuts be enough to make a difference?

"The most likely answers are not all of it and there will be a long lag before any rate cuts work through the economy.