First Metro Investment vs GoTyme

First Metro Investment vs GoTyme: Home Loan Overview

Before diving into a rate-by-rate breakdown, it's important to understand what each institution actually offers in the home loan space — because these two are not traditional apples-to-apples mortgage competitors.

First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) is the investment banking arm of Metrobank Group. Its core business is capital markets, securities brokerage, and corporate finance — not retail home loans. While Metrobank itself offers competitive home loan and refinance products, FMIC does not operate as a standalone retail mortgage lender for individual borrowers seeking to purchase or refinance residential property.

GoTyme Bank is a relatively new digital bank in the Philippines (a joint venture between the Gokongwei Group and Tyme Group). As of its current stage of growth, GoTyme has focused heavily on savings, payments, and personal finance products. Its home loan or mortgage refinance offerings, if available, are limited in scope compared to established banks like BDO, BPI, or Security Bank, and may not yet be competitive for borrowers seeking large-loan, long-tenure mortgage refinancing.

If you landed on this page looking for the best home loan refinance rate, the honest answer is: neither of these institutions is likely your strongest option. Read on to understand why, and what you should be comparing instead.

Rate & Product Comparison

For context, the best refinance rate currently available through Nook is 5.99% p.a. — a rate that neither of these institutions is positioned to match for standard retail refinancing.

Monthly Payment Illustration: Why Your Current Rate Matters

Even if you're not comparing these two specific institutions, understanding the financial impact of refinancing is important. Here's what switching from a typical bank rate to 5.99% p.a. could mean on a ₱3,000,000 home loan over 20 years:

That's over 1,000,000 pesos in potential interest savings over the life of the loan — simply by refinancing to a better rate. This is why comparing the right lenders matters far more than choosing between two institutions that may not actively compete in the retail mortgage market.

First Metro Investment: What It Actually Does

FMIC is a licensed investment house regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Its services include:

• Debt and equity capital markets
• Corporate bonds and treasury securities
• Fund management and trust services
• Financial advisory for corporations

If you are a high-net-worth individual or a corporate entity seeking structured finance, FMIC may be relevant. However, for a Filipino homeowner looking to refinance their home loan and reduce monthly payments, FMIC is not the institution to approach. You would be better served by FMIC's parent — Metrobank — which does offer competitive refinancing products through Nook's panel of lenders.

GoTyme Bank: Promising, But Early-Stage for Mortgages

GoTyme has quickly become a popular choice for savings accounts (with high-yield interest rates) and everyday digital banking. However, home loans are a different story. Mortgage products require deep underwriting capability, extensive appraisal networks, and strong regulatory frameworks for secured lending — all of which take time to build for a newer entrant.

As a digital bank growing its product suite, GoTyme may expand into home loans more aggressively in the future. For now, borrowers seeking refinancing would find more certainty and competitive options with established lenders. You can see how GoTyme compares against other newer lenders in our GoTyme vs SB Finance home loan comparison and the Bank of Commerce vs GoTyme home loan comparison for additional context on where GoTyme stands in the broader market.

What Should You Compare Instead?

If you're researching home loan refinancing in the Philippines, focus your comparison on banks that actively compete for refinance business and publish competitive rates. Through Nook, you can compare offers from lenders including:

• BDO — largest bank by assets, wide branch network
• BPI — strong digital mortgage application process
• Security Bank — known for flexible refinance terms
• Metrobank — competitive fixed-rate periods
• RCBC — accessible for a range of borrower profiles
• UnionBank — strong digital-first experience for refinancing
• PNB — government-backed stability with competitive pricing
• Pag-IBIG (HDMF) — subsidized rates for qualified members

Nook's service is 100% free to borrowers. There are no broker fees, no hidden charges, and no obligation to proceed. You simply submit your details once and Nook does the legwork of identifying which lender can offer you the best rate for your specific loan size, property, and borrower profile.

Refinancing Eligibility: General Requirements

Regardless of which bank you ultimately refinance with, most Philippine lenders require the following:

• Filipino citizen or qualified foreign national with eligible property ownership
• Age: typically 21 to 65 years old (at loan maturity)
• Stable income — employed (at least 2 years tenure) or self-employed (at least 2 years profitable operations)
• Property must be titled and free of adverse claims
• Existing loan must have a satisfactory payment history (typically 12–24 months clean payments)
• Loan-to-value ratio within the bank's acceptable range (typically up to 70–80% of appraised value)

Nook can help you assess your eligibility across multiple lenders simultaneously, saving you the time and paperwork of applying to each bank individually.