Consider this typical condition: An enthusiastic African-American family members gets a great subprime mortgage to possess $150,000 which have an excellent 12% interest
The fresh new Punishment to have Enhanced Borrowing from the bank
Yet not, if the family members tries to refinance, they discover their current loan is sold with a substantial prepayment penalty — accumulated so you’re able to 5% of the financing equilibrium, or about $7,500*. The family try forced to select from paying the punishment out of the guarantee or carried on to spend 12% interest for 2 even more years.
What is a beneficial prepayment punishment?
A prepayment penalty try a charge necessary for the lending company when individuals pay an interest rate very early. From the subprime financial business, in which individuals tend to have smaller-than-perfect credit, an enthusiastic abusive prepayment penalty normally trap all of them when you look at the a premier-attention financing despite they enhance their credit rating.