Monday 10th February 2020
With the new year here, you might be considering giving your home a fresh spin with some renovation. Whether it’s adding a pool for the summer heat, or adding a granny flat for gran, renovation can add both monetary and…
Monday 3rd February 2020
Well, it’s that time of the year, many of us are hoping for a fresh start in 2020 and what could be a fresher start to the new year than moving into a brand-new home. A new you are not…
Monday 27th January 2020
Saving up for a deposit on your home loan can be one of the hardest things you do financially. A home loan deposit requires a large amount of money and many Australians don’t have that amount of money just lying…
Monday 20th January 2020
With banks becoming increasingly more restrictive on home loans every year it’s becoming more important to consider options outside the major lenders including non-bank lenders. Non-bank lenders still have to follow the same regulations as other lenders and the market…
Monday 13th January 2020
When you decide to borrow money for an investment you are engaging in gearing. If your income from the investment is more than the expenses of the investment you are positively geared, likewise if your income is less than your…
Monday 6th January 2020
A construction home loan is a home loan that is designed for people wanting to build their home instead of purchasing an existing one. As a result, it has a unique payment structure where you only borrow in stages as…
Monday 30th December 2019
Getting a home loan is already difficult enough but getting a home loan as a small business owner is even harder. Lenders like to see regular amounts of money coming in as it makes them feel less at risk. When…
Monday 23rd December 2019
Determining what you can and can’t afford is not a simple process. A number of different factors go into consideration when deciding what is within your price range and how much you like the house is unfortunately only one of…
Monday 16th December 2019
An investment property can be a tempting proposition to a budding investor. It’s one of the most stable and straightforward investments you can make and the opportunity for passive income from rent exists. The downside is that not everyone can…
Monday 9th December 2019
Once people secure their home loan, they often forget about it and simply pay their loan repayments till the end of the loan. This may seem fine, but the reality is you could be missing out on many benefits and…
Monday 2nd December 2019
With house prices continuing to rise rapidly every year, it gets harder and harder to build up the deposit required for a home loan. One way of bypassing this is to apply for a family guarantee home loan or family…
Monday 25th November 2019
If you weren’t thinking of refinancing your home loan, you may want to think again. There are many benefits to refinancing that you may want to consider the next time you review your home loan. Refinancing may just be the…
Monday 18th November 2019
Debt consolidation is the process of consolidating all your existing debt into a single loan rather than pay them off as multiple loans each with their rates of interest. On a surface level, it might make things easier to manage…
Monday 11th November 2019
Bridging loans are loans used to buy a new home when you haven’t yet sold your existing home. Sometimes it is helpful to purchase a new home before you’ve sold your old one. In which case, you need a bridging…
Monday 4th November 2019
When you buy a home whether it is classified as owner-occupied or investment depends on your intentions behind buying the property. If you are planning to sell the property for a profit on what you originally bought it for or…
Tuesday 29th October 2019
Spring is often the busiest time of the year in the property market with the most amount of homes listed, and the greatest number of houses sold. The sun is shining, the grass is green and it’s the perfect time…
Monday 21st October 2019
There are hundreds of lenders and thousands of home loans to choose from and compare. As a result, it can be extremely time-consuming to decide on which home loan is suitable for you. It can also be costly if you…
Tuesday 15th October 2019
This is a multifaceted question that depends on how you define cost. In terms of the raw numbers, it’s cheaper financially to build a house rather than buy one. However, the total cost doesn’t consider other costs of building a…
Monday 7th October 2019
Making renovations on your home can be both exciting and exhausting. Whether you are adding a spare room or sharpening the look of your kitchen it is rewarding to see the transformation. That is why we have made a list…
Monday 30th September 2019
We live in a constantly changing world where circumstances and conditions are constantly evolving. Our personal situation and lifestyle will shift endlessly throughout the years and we will change what we eat, where we live and what we do constantly.
Monday 9th September 2019
It makes sense to want to pay your home loan off early, being free of debt can free you of your stress and worry. With the number of financial benefits that come with paying a home loan off faster, it…
Monday 2nd September 2019
A non-conforming home loan is a loan that does not fit a lender’s standard criteria for a home loan. These loans are usually offered to people that have a bad credit history or extraordinary financial needs. Because non-conforming home loans…
Monday 26th August 2019
In the past, it was possible to borrow 100% of a house’s value and not even have to pay a deposit. Now, lenders are a lot stricter and acquiring a loan without a deposit is much more difficult. So,…
Monday 19th August 2019
Buying a home is a big undertaking, which is why the government offers a range of initiatives to make things a little easier for home buyers. These initiatives are available to every Australian so it is important to take advantage…
Monday 12th August 2019
Houses that need a lot of hard work and love in order to truly shine are sometimes referred to as a ‘renovator’s dream’. However, this dream can sometimes turn into a nightmare if you aren’t careful. We’ve outlined a few…
Monday 5th August 2019
Just like a farmer’s crops, the time of year you choose to buy a home significantly affects price and supply. As a result, it is important to take into account the seasons when looking for a new home. Spring The…
Sunday 28th July 2019
As a business owner, you’ll more than likely have challenges and problems that need to be overcome. It can often be hard to manage your business’s finances when you’re busy getting your brand out there, figuring out how to price…
Monday 22nd July 2019
Commercial property is classified as any non-residential property that is used exclusively for business purposes. This includes retail properties, office buildings, shopping centres, hotels, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, apartment complexes and land for development. For many investors, acquiring commercial property is…
Monday 15th July 2019
A pre-approval is when a lender approves you for a home loan before you actually decide on a house to buy. It’s essentially a guarantee that you will be approved for a home loan if you decide to apply for…
Monday 8th July 2019
Acquiring a home loan higher than 80% of the asking price is already a difficult task. Going a step further and getting a home loan for more than the asking price is nearly impossible. However, there are rare situations where…
Monday 24th June 2019
When it comes to the relationship between your credit card history and loan applications, it seems many people are in the dark about what’s truth and what’s not. Gather a group of normal Australians in…
Monday 17th June 2019
Finding the right home loan and the best way to pay it off can seem insurmountable alone. But with the help of an experienced broker, it’s much easier finding terms that will suit you. Read on for…
Wednesday 12th June 2019
Your credit score is like going to the doctor for many – you don’t have a check-up unless you absolutely need to. The Veda Australian Credit Scorecard, surveying the credit behaviour of people nationwide, proves this to be true…
Thursday 23rd May 2019
The falling market can be both good and bad for homeowners and first-time home buyers – while properties may lose value, lower prices make it a cheaper and thus more desirable time to purchase a house or…
Monday 13th May 2019
In recent months, Australian banks have tightened their credit standards amid concerns around increasing property prices, household debt and pressures from the royal commission. This means that getting a loan might be even more difficult for…
Wednesday 8th May 2019
Life changes, and so does your financial plan. There are many reasons why you might consider refinancing – perhaps you are looking to get lower rates, consolidate your debts or make a major purchase with your…
Tuesday 30th April 2019
Ever gotten to the end of the month and wondered where all the money from your pay check goes? Keeping a budget can help you track where your money is going, stay on top of your bills…
Sunday 14th April 2019
Car ownership is on the decline with young Australians. The change could be due to rising housing prices and thus altered priorities for first-time home buyers. The latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in…
Friday 12th April 2019
With so many loan options and an increasingly complex market, it can be hard to pick the best loan for your needs. There are many different factors to consider when it comes to choosing loans. In this…
Tuesday 26th March 2019
If you’re looking for an investment unit, an apartment block can be a great option to get a big return. This strategy is becoming more and more popular in Australia, and as such there isn’t quite enough…
Tuesday 12th March 2019
Investing in property is a smart choice for many Aussies looking for long-term profit potential. But before you dive in, there are a few things you should know. Consider if you’re ready to buy, what…
Wednesday 6th March 2019
You may still be recovering from Christmas festivities, whether eating and drinking less or getting to the gym. But how is your credit card balance? Finder.com.au analysed data from the Reserve Bank of Australia…
Monday 25th February 2019
As 2019 heats up, many predictions for the Australian economy are focused on recent lending announcements and the housing market. Here’s a look at some of the latest. Housing market There was a lot of negative talk about the housing…
Tuesday 19th February 2019
The first month of 2019 saw interest rate hikes in Australia that could affect home loans. Make sure you understand your options for dealing with these changes. What follows is a look at the latest news and what it could…
Tuesday 5th February 2019
Home renovation projects can be a fun activity for families to do together. But these jobs can also be expensive and taxing, financially physically and mentally. When you’re taking on home projects this summer, follow these tips to ensure everything goes…
Thursday 17th January 2019
Including offset accounts in your home loan strategy could end up saving you thousands of dollars. Here’s a look at how they work and whether you should consider going this route. What are offset accounts? Offset accounts aim to…
Tuesday 8th January 2019
Experts in Australia are predicting more declines for the housing industry in 2019. The effects on the economy are still yet to be seen, but some are expecting a hard landing for the market in the coming months. CoreLogic’s latest…
Friday 21st December 2018
A proposal from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) aims to reform negative gearing, and News.com.au says that Aussies are conflicted on the issue. But what is negative gearing, and why are the proposed changes so controversial? What would change? To…
Tuesday 11th December 2018
In a sweeping look at which streets are the best across the country, Realestate.com.au revealed the 10 most popular streets based on where users do the most searching. Six of the winners are in Victoria, making a case for the…
Tuesday 11th December 2018
Getting a loan can be quite a tricky task. Seemingly small mistakes may get you trapped in debt, make a permanent record on your credit file and/or lead to rejections on new mortgages. Here are a few common mistakes that…
Sunday 25th November 2018
The housing market may still be uncertain in Australia as 2018 comes to an end. The September auctions proved that buying was low. However, first-home purchases may be on the rise by the end of the year. What follows is…
Tuesday 20th November 2018
The Australian housing market has been in a steady downturn over the last year. CoreLogic data shows that it’s seen a cumulative 1.9 per cent value fall since September 2017. While some experts are warning that the market could continue…
Tuesday 13th November 2018
The beginning of 2018 brought a rise in Aussie credit card debt. The average credit card had $2,000 of debt in April, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, the highest it’s been in two years. With the country’s housing market…
Thursday 8th November 2018
Just starting out in the property market? Interest rate terminology on your home loan can be hard to sift through. To understand what you’re agreeing to, it’s important to understand the basics about interest rates. What is an interest rate? When…
Sunday 4th November 2018
Saving for a summer holiday? Boost your funds by tracking your spending, cutting one unnecessary expense and staying home for dinner. If you’re still saving up funds for your next getaway, here are tips to help you along the way. Check your bills…
Thursday 11th October 2018
Falling housing prices may not bode well for the overall property market. As the first spring auctions in the major cities have shown this year, it’s still unsteady. Australia’s housing downturn may be getting worse, ABC News recently reported. Melbourne…
Wednesday 10th October 2018
Westpac, Suncorp Bank, and Adelaide Bank have all announced interest rate hikes on home loans. So, what do these raises mean for your repayments? If you have a home loan, recent interest rate changes could affect your repayments. After Westpac increased…
Tuesday 18th September 2018
Moving can be a stressful experience, which is why many Australians avoid doing it as much as possible. However, certain factors can arise that make it a good time to move on to another neighbourhood, including rising housing prices, bad…
Sunday 9th September 2018
If you are considering buying a house, you will likely need a home loan. If you already owe on previous advances, whether higher education debt, credit card debt, or personal loan debt, it could impact your home loan application. Australia…
Wednesday 5th September 2018
Recent changes to superannuation funds may start to affect the housing market. Two such measures are the First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme, and the downsizing contributions into superannuation funds. These changes were introduced by the Australian Government in the…
Tuesday 28th August 2018
Saving money and unlocking equity – those are two good reasons why you should consider refinancing your home loan. Before we start talking interest rates, it’s important to know if you can achieve one of those two things. Unlocking equity…
Wednesday 15th August 2018
How long will it take to sell your home? We’ve had a closer look at the numbers around home sales in Australia to give you a better idea. The average Australian home takes 45 days to sell or 40 if…
Wednesday 8th August 2018
Unfortunately, most Australians can’t afford the best house on the best street. For that reason, buying real estate is a constant compromise between budget, location and the physical attributes of the property. With that compromise in mind, what’s more important…
Thursday 26th July 2018
As of December 2017 the average house price in Australia was $687,000, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, although this average is considerably higher in population centres like Melbourne and Sydney. These prices make buying your first home a…
Thursday 26th July 2018
The average size of a home loan in Australia is almost $400,000, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Most people will repay their loans over 30 years, during which time they’ll be charged a whopping $319,820.45 in home loan…
Monday 2nd July 2018
Finding the ideal home loan and the best way to pay it off can seem insurmountable alone. But with the help of an experienced broker, it’s much easier finding terms that will suit you. Read on for our guide on…
Monday 25th June 2018
Building an investment property is a labour of love – while it does require a lot more work than simply buying a pre-built unit, it’s the perfect way to ensure you come out with a property that you love. It’s…
Tuesday 15th August 2017
There are a lot of benefits to being self-employed. Rather than having to show up to an office and report to a boss, you instead get to take control of your own career. You decide when and where you work…
Monday 6th March 2017
Most Australians have at least a little debt. It’s something that causes significant stress according to a Canstar Blue survey that found loan repayments were amongst the biggest financial concerns of every day Australians. Are you worried about your debts?…
Tuesday 11th October 2016
You’ve probably heard a hundred horror stories about buying off the plan: including developers going bankrupt and finished homes being completely different from what was expected. As a result, you may believe that buying off the plan is an incredibly…
Monday 26th September 2016
Buying a home costs far more than it’s sale price. There are countless other expenses involved, several of which you may not expect when you make your purchase. If these come as a surprise, they could derail your property dreams…
Monday 19th September 2016
In the four minutes it will take you to read this article, close to 15,000 people would have downloaded Pokemon Go onto their smart phones, according to the App Institute. These shocking statistics prove that this viral phenomenon has more…
Monday 12th September 2016
The total amount of interest paid on debt in Australia has been as high as 12 per cent of disposable income in the past. This statistic is shocking when you consider that it doesn’t include any repayments on the principal…
Wednesday 24th August 2016
Competing on the world-wide stage is the ultimate challenge for any athlete; the pinnacle of competition. Victory for a competitor is an investment in a better future and a jumping point for bigger things – much like buying a home.
Wednesday 10th August 2016
For many Australians, the first step towards buying property is securing a home loan. In order to do this, you’ll need to build up a deposit, as this will make you a more appealing prospect to lenders, while opening up…
Thursday 24th March 2016
There are a plethora of reasons to invest in property, including the tax benefits and retirement planning. But let's be honest, the main motivation is to be able to line your pockets with cash, purchase a sports car.
Thursday 24th March 2016
There are so many costs and processes involved with buying a home - have you considered which inspections you might need? Buying a house is a complicated process, and once you find the right one - as well as a good variable or fixed home loan
Thursday 24th March 2016
Just because you find the right loan now doesn’t mean it’s going to still work for you in 5 year’s time. That’s where refinancing your mortgage comes in.
