What exactly is mortgage stress, and how can you overcome it without losing your home? With the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) signalling that interest rates are anticipated to rise in 2024, many banks and home loan providers have started to shift their own fixed rates. Many of these changes have seen these financial institutions… Read more »
Tougher lending restrictions are being introduced for mortgages from December. Here’s what that means for new borrowers. With most banks and home loan providers already operating under the new Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA), the process around applying for home loans is changing. The level of evidence required for a home loan is… Read more »
Yesterday Westpac hiked its fixed rate home loan for the second time in less than two weeks, and today the CBA followed suit. Which begs the question: Is it time for a fixed-rate home loan? Three-year fixed-rate mortgages are tied to market rates of that term because banks borrow or hedge interest rate risk at… Read more »
Receiving “conditional” loan approval from your lender gives you the confidence to start house hunting in earnest, but it’s still not a done deal. Finding the perfect property takes time, and so does securing the perfect home loan. You can’t rush these things. Don’t wait until you’re standing on the nature strip, trying to outbid… Read more »
For the thousands of Aussies looking for a new home loan, there has never been more choice. But with all the different types of home loans available, how can you determine which one best suits your financial situation? When you take out a home loan, most providers will give you a choice between a fixed,… Read more »
The home loan application process can be long and complicated, especially for first home buyers. Fortunately, there are ways to make it easier. With so many steps involved, people often don’t know where to start when applying for a mortgage. In order to help streamline the process, here are four things you should keep in… Read more »
The home loan war between financiers is really hotting up. In a bid to win over new customers, lenders are offering up to $5,000 cashback on home loans with rates under 2 per cent. New analysis by financial research group RateCity shows there are 25 lenders offering cashback deals. In addition to the cashback on… Read more »
Bamboozled by all the mortgage jargon in your home loan contract? Fear not. We’ve got you sorted with our A-Z of mortgage-speak. Is there anything worse than trying to get your finances sorted but stumbling over all the mortgage jargon that flows effortlessly off the lender’s tongue? Chattels, what now? And what on earth is… Read more »
Given the intricacies and possibilities around home loans, the so-called comparison rate may not always be helpful. As a tool, it can be too blunt for the job. We trust ourselves all the time with the comparisons we make in everyday life between items as varied as shoes, cars and even people. So, we’d expect… Read more »
Australians started borrowing again before Christmas, with the value of new home loans up by 4.4% in December (seasonally adjusted), while personal fixed term loans rose by 3.5% according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The value of mortgages to owner-occupier rose by 5.1%, an eight-year high, and 17.9% over the… Read more »
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