Home loan portability: Transferring your mortgage to a new home

When you take out a mortgage, you enter a decades-long commitment. So what happens if you decide to move to a new home? These days, most banks and lenders offer a feature called loan portability. This lets you sell your current home and purchase a new one, all while keeping the same mortgage.
This is especially useful considering most Australians are unlikely to stay put for more than 15 years. Many will move homes to accommodate a growing family, shave time off the daily commute, or simply out of a desire for new surroundings.
Whatever the case, it’s reassuring knowing that you can avoid the hassle of refinancing if you outgrow your current residence. Below, we look at how porting your home loan works, along with the advantages and disadvantages.
What is loan portability?
Simply put, home loan portability allows you to transfer your current home loan, including the balance, interest rate, and any built-in features, to a new property. Once complete, your mortgage will no longer be secured against your old property but your new one.
This can spare you the hassle of applying for another home loan, not to mention the upfront fees that often come with it. It also means you’ll get to keep the features currently attached to your mortgage, such as your offset account.
How does it work?
Consider utilities like internet and electricity. When you move houses, you have the option to transfer those utilities to your new home. That means the terms of your policies will remain the same, the only difference will be your address.
Porting your home works in a similar way, though it requires much more than just a phone call. The process will differ depending on the lender, but you will likely have to request a release of property form, organise to have both properties valued, and provide a contract of sale for your old property and your new one.
What are the benefits?
Convenient: Porting your mortgage saves you the time and energy of exiting your current mortgage and applying for a new one. You’ll also be able to keep all the features you’ve gotten accustomed to.
You can keep your fixed rate: If you have a fixed rate, you won’t have to terminate the contract and can therefore avoid paying break fees, which can be quite high.
Save money: There are plenty of upfront costs involved when signing up for a home loan. Porting your mortgage means you won’t have to sign a new loan contract and can keep that money in your pocket.
Are there any downsides?
Limitations: Your lender might require your new property to be of equal value or higher than your old one, in which case you’ll be limited in the kinds of property you can purchase.
Simultaneous settlement: the settlement dates of your property sale and purchase will likely need to line up, which might be difficult to pull off if there are delays in processing your documents.
Same lender and interest rate: It goes without saying, but retaining your current mortgage means staying with the same lender. This can be a downside if the deal you signed up for wasn’t competitive to begin with.
For more information about home loan features, visit our home loan guides hub. And if you’re in the market for a home loan, visit our home loan comparison page, or browse the selection below.
Home loan comparisons on Mozo - last updated 2 July 2022
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Smart Booster Home Loan
2 Year Discounted Variable Rate, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment2.60% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 3.00% p.a. variable2.96% p.a.New super low introductory rate home loan for two years. Min 20% deposit. No monthly or ongoing fees. Fast settlement times. Mozo award-winning online lender. Friendly, local Australian based team.
CompareCompareSmart Booster Home Loan
New super low introductory rate home loan for two years. Min 20% deposit. No monthly or ongoing fees. Fast settlement times. Mozo award-winning online lender. Friendly, local Australian based team.
- interest rate
- 2.60% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 3.00% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.96% p.a.
- interest rate
- 2.60% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 3.00% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.96% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $520
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- Optional - with 0.10% additional interest
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $50,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $1,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Smart Booster Home Loan
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Featured Product
Neat Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <60%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment2.64% p.a. variable2.65% p.a.Low variable rate. Ideal for buyers or investors. No annual fees to pay. Unlimited additional repayments. Free redraw facility available. Fast digital application. 40% deposit required.
CompareCompareNeat Home Loan
Low variable rate. Ideal for buyers or investors. No annual fees to pay. Unlimited additional repayments. Free redraw facility available. Fast digital application. 40% deposit required.
- interest rate
- 2.64% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.65% p.a.
- interest rate
- 2.64% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.65% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $250
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $300.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $80,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $5,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Neat Home Loan
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Unloan Variable
Owner Occupier, Refinance Only
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment2.64% p.a. variable2.56% p.a.For refinancers only. Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply in as little as 10 minutes.
CompareCompareUnloan Variable
For refinancers only. Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply in as little as 10 minutes.
- interest rate
- 2.64% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.56% p.a.
- interest rate
- 2.64% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.56% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- -
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $10,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $3,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Unloan Variable
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2022
Variable Rate Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment2.59% p.a. variable2.49% p.a.$5000 refinance cashback. Owner-occupier refinancers only living in NSW/VIC/SA metro and inner regional areas. Receive up to an additional 0.15% off your rate as you pay off the loan. Receive bonus payments up to $2,500. T&Cs apply. Mozo Experts Choice Award winner for 2022^.
CompareCompareVariable Rate Home Loan
$5000 refinance cashback. Owner-occupier refinancers only living in NSW/VIC/SA metro and inner regional areas. Receive up to an additional 0.15% off your rate as you pay off the loan. Receive bonus payments up to $2,500. T&Cs apply. Mozo Experts Choice Award winner for 2022^.
- interest rate
- 2.59% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.49% p.a.
- interest rate
- 2.59% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.49% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- no
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $20,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $2,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- Receive $5000 cashback for Owner Occupier Refinancers only in eligible areas only.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Variable Rate Home Loan
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Basic Home Loan
Owner Occupier, LVR<60%, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment2.84% p.a. variable2.84% p.a.Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. Apply online in as little as 15 minutes.
CompareCompareBasic Home Loan
Enjoy a low rate home loan with $0 application fee and $0 ongoing fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free redraw from your loan using online banking. Flexible ways to repay. Apply online in as little as 15 minutes.
- interest rate
- 2.84% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.84% p.a.
- interest rate
- 2.84% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 2.84% p.a.
- Upfront fees
- $0
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $400.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $150,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $5,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Monthly
- Special Offers
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Basic Home Loan