MoneyLog｜부동산·경제 인사이트

Have you ever found yourself at the bank, nodding along even though you didn’t fully understand what the staff was saying?

“Would you like a fixed or variable rate?” “Your DSR is too high, so your loan limit will be lower.” These phrases can sound like another language, right?

Many of my clients also admit that they just said “Yes, yes” during the loan consultation — and later asked me, as their real estate agent, what those terms actually meant.

So in this post, I’ll explain the most common banking and loan terms in plain and simple language that anyone can understand. Whether you’re new to banking or just want to feel more confident during consultations, this guide will make everything clearer 😊

🇰🇷 한국어

1. 은행 용어, 왜 이렇게 어려울까?
2. 고정금리 vs 변동금리, 뭐가 다를까?
3. 대출 상환방식 한눈에 보기
4. KB시세란? 실제 거래가와 차이점
5. DTI·DSR·스트레스 DSR 쉽게 설명
6. 예금·적금에서 자주 듣는 용어
7. 자주 묻는 질문 Q&A
8. 정리 및 마무리

🇺🇸 English

1. Why are banking terms so confusing?
2. Fixed vs. Variable Interest Rates
3. Types of Loan Repayment Methods
4. What Is the KB Market Price?
5. Understanding DTI, DSR, and Stress DSR
6. Common Terms in Deposits and Savings
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
8. Summary & Closing

When you take out a loan, one of the first questions the banker will ask is: “Would you like a fixed rate or a variable rate?”

A fixed rate means your monthly payment stays the same for the entire loan period — even if market rates go up or down. For example, if your interest payment is ₩500,000 per month, it will stay ₩500,000 until the loan ends.

A variable rate changes depending on the market. If the base interest rate rises, your monthly payment will increase too — and if it falls, you’ll pay less.

📌 Think of it like this:
- Fixed rate → a “flat-rate phone plan” - Variable rate → a “pay-as-you-go plan” where costs can change.

When you borrow money, the way you repay it also matters. Banks usually ask: “Would you like equal principal and interest, equal principal, or bullet repayment?” Let’s make it easy to understand 👇

① Equal Principal + Interest (원리금균등상환)
You pay the same total amount every month. In the beginning, most of your payment goes toward interest, and later more goes toward principal.
→ Easy to plan, but slightly higher total interest.

② Equal Principal (원금균등상환)
You pay the same principal each month plus interest on the remaining balance. → Payments start higher but decrease over time.

③ Bullet Repayment (만기일시상환)
You pay only interest each month and repay the full principal at the end.
→ Good for short-term loans but risky if you can’t save up the lump sum.

When you apply for a home loan, the bank often says, “We’ll lend up to 70% of the KB market price.” But what exactly is that?

The KB Market Price is an estimated reference value published monthly by KB Kookmin Bank. It’s not a single real transaction — it’s an average price based on recent deals, neighborhood trends, and apartment features.

📌 Simply put:
- Actual Price (실거래가): The exact price recorded in a contract. - KB Market Price (KB시세): An average used by banks for loan evaluations. - Appraised Value (감정가): A professional valuation used for high-value or special properties.

So when the bank says “LTV 70% based on KB price,” it means your loan amount will be calculated from that KB figure — not the latest actual sale price.

When banks review your loan application, they check three key ratios:

① DTI (Debt-to-Income Ratio)
Measures how much of your income goes toward housing loan payments.
Example: ₩20M annual mortgage payments ÷ ₩50M income = 40% DTI.

② DSR (Debt Service Ratio)
Includes all loans — mortgages, credit loans, car loans, etc.
Example: (₩15M mortgage + ₩5M credit loan) ÷ ₩50M income = 40% DSR.

③ Stress DSR
A new rule assuming interest rates may rise in the future. Even if your current rate is 4%, the bank calculates as if it were 6%. It’s like a “stress test” to see if you can still afford payments later.

When opening a savings account, you might hear terms like “compound interest” or “early termination rate.” Here’s what they mean in simple English 👇

① Simple vs. Compound Interest
- Simple interest → You earn interest only on your initial deposit.
- Compound interest → You earn interest on both the principal and the accumulated interest.

② Deposit Protection
The government guarantees up to ₩50 million per person, per bank — even if the bank goes bankrupt.

③ Early Termination Rate
If you withdraw before maturity, your interest rate drops significantly.

④ Auto Transfer & Renewal
- Auto transfer → Savings are automatically deposited every month. - Auto renewal → Your deposit renews automatically at maturity unless you opt out.

상황에 따라 달라요.
금리가 앞으로 오를 것 같다면 고정금리가 유리하고, 내릴 가능성이 높다면 변동금리가 이익이에요.
하지만 무엇보다 중요한 건 내가 감당할 수 있는 월 납입액의 안정성입니다.

DSR은 내 소득 대비 전체 대출 상환 부담을 뜻해요.
예를 들어 DSR이 50%라면, 내 소득의 절반이 대출 상환에 쓰이고 있다는 의미입니다.
DSR이 높을수록 새 대출이 어렵거나, 한도가 줄어듭니다.

KB시세는 국민은행이 평균적인 시장 가격을 참고해 만든 금액이에요.
최근 거래가 한두 건뿐이면 실제 시세보다 낮게 잡힐 수 있습니다.
반대로 거래가 활발한 지역은 실거래가와 비슷하게 나와요.

아니요. 한 사람 기준, 한 은행당 5천만 원 한도로 보호돼요.
같은 은행 안의 여러 통장은 합산해서 5천만 원까지만 보장되고,
다른 은행에 있는 돈은 각각 따로 보호받습니다.

맞아요. 예금이나 적금을 만기 전에 깨면 원래 약속한 금리보다 훨씬 낮은 금리로 계산돼요.
그래서 계획이 불확실하다면 짧은 기간 상품을 이용하는 게 좋아요.

있습니다 😊
- 최근 3개월 급여 통장 내역
- 현재 대출 현황 (은행·금액·이자율)
- 소득 증빙 서류 (근로소득원천징수, 사업소득원천징수 등)

이런 자료를 미리 챙기면 상담이 훨씬 빠르고 정확해요.

Q1. Which is better — fixed or variable rate?
It depends. If rates are likely to rise, fixed is safer. If they’re expected to fall, variable may save you money.

Q2. What does a high DSR mean?
It means a large part of your income goes to repaying debt. Banks usually limit DSR to around 40%.

Q3. Why is KB price lower than the actual sale price?
Because KB price is an average reference value based on multiple transactions, not a single deal.

Q4. Does deposit protection apply to each account?
No. It applies per person, per bank — up to ₩50M total per bank.

Q5. What is the early termination rate?
A lower interest rate applied when you withdraw before maturity.

Q6. What should I prepare before a loan consultation?
Bring income proof, loan details, and recent account statements. It helps the process go smoothly.

If bank consultations always felt confusing, hopefully this guide made things much clearer 😊

✔️ Fixed vs. Variable Rate — Whether the interest stays the same or changes
✔️ Repayment Methods — How you pay back your loan each month
✔️ KB Market Price — The reference value banks use for loans
✔️ DTI·DSR·Stress DSR — Indicators of your repayment ability
✔️ Deposit Protection & Compound Interest — How to keep and grow your money safely

Financial terms can sound complicated, but once you understand them, you’ll feel more confident at the bank. If you found this post helpful, share it with someone who might need it 💛

Stay informed, stay confident — with MoneyLog.
Thank you for reading 🙏