Home buyers rejoice! More listings are hitting the market

Blog 1100×733 Buyers Rejoice 2024 Great news for home buyers! After an extended run of low listings, the number of homes coming onto the market is skyrocketing. So could this have an impact on the property market? Let’s take a look. Take a look around your local suburb, and chances are you’ll see freshly minted For Sale signs popping up all over the place. That’s because a large number of homes are…  Read more

They’re back! Why property investors account for one-in-three new home loans

Blog 1100×733 Property Investor 2024 Lending to property investors is soaring once again. We lift the lid on what’s driving investor interest – and what it could mean for the property market throughout 2024. It looks like property investors are back … and in a big way. The latest ABS figures show that in December 2023, banks lent over $26 billion in new home loans – and one-third of this figure, a…  Read more

When will the next RBA cash rate call be made?

Blog 110×733 Next Rate Call 2024 Happy days! The Reserve Bank kept rates steady in February. But a shake-up in the number of times our central bank meets each year is raising questions about how long the rate pause will last. Here’s what we could expect. It seems fitting that in a month known for Valentine’s Day, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has shown borrowers some love by keeping…  Read more

4 tips for self-employed home loan applications

Blog 1100×733 Self Employed 2024 Applying for a mortgage when you’re self-employed may have you jumping through more hoops. But it needn’t deter you from getting into the property market. Here are 4 tips to help you apply for a mortgage like a boss. Being your own boss sure has its advantages: the flexibility of setting your own hours, building your own business to represent your values, having someone else…  Read more

First home buyers charge back into the market

Blog 1100×733 Fhb Charge 2024 Hats off to Australia’s first home buyers! The latest lending data shows they’re refusing to let last year’s rate hikes and rising property values dampen their goal of buying a home. Here are five tips to help you buy your first home in 2024. You’ve gotta hand it to first home buyers in the current market. Not only were they faced with 13 cash rate…  Read more

How your deposit size can shape the rate you pay

Blog 1100×733 Rate Pay 2024 It’s commonly known that the bigger your deposit, the smaller your home loan, and thus, the lower your monthly repayments. But today we’ll look into another way your deposit size could reduce your repayments: by potentially reducing your interest rate. A question we’re commonly asked (believe it or not!) is “how can I get a lower interest rate?” There’s no straightforward answer to this one…  Read more

The pros of having a mortgage broker on your side

Blog 1100×733 Mortgage Broker 2024 What exactly can a mortgage broker do for you? Well, we don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we can make your home loan journey a whole lot easier, letting you focus on the fun part: planning for your new home! The words “home loan application process” can strike fear in the hearts of many. Trawling through different loan products is a time drain.…  Read more

5 New Year’s resolutions for your home loan

Blog 1100×733 Resolutions 2024 Thought of a New Year’s resolution yet? Or perhaps you’ve broken one already? Either way, check out our list of possible mortgage goals for 2024 – try one, or have a go at them all – to save a bundle in the year ahead. It’s that time of year when Aussies love to set resolutions. According to Commonwealth Bank research, as we dive into 2024, three out…  Read more

Merry Christmas! Season’s greetings from all of us to you

Blog 1100×733 Xmas 2023 The year has flown past, and as our thoughts turn to trees, tinsel and turkey, we’d like to thank all our fantastic clients for your support throughout 2023. It’s been quite a year, with higher interest rates, soaring national property values (who’d have thought?) and a few welcome surprises including more help for first-home buyers. There is plenty in store for 2024, and we look forward…  Read more

Ho ho ho! The smart move that has 1 in 10 borrowers feeling jolly

Home owners have been battling rising interest rates for over a year and a half now. But a new report reveals the important step some savvy borrowers are taking to rein in higher rates and swap “oh no!” for “ho, ho, ho!”. It’s no secret that refinancing has the potential to slice a big chunk off your monthly loan repayments. And according to Canstar, 1 in 10 mortgage holders chased a…  Read more

What’s tipped for house prices in 2024?

Blog 1100×733 House Prices 2024 If buying a home is at the top of your wish list for 2024, don’t miss our rundown on how the property market has fared in 2023 – and why the new year is shaping up as potentially another big year for real estate. As we turn the page on 2023, let’s take a quick rear mirror look on how home values moved over the…  Read more

More lenders sign up to low deposit first home buyer scheme

Blog 1100×733 Hgs More Lenders 2023 First home buyers with a small deposit now have an even wider range of lenders to choose from. We reveal the latest banks to join the 5% deposit scheme that’s helping more buyers get into the market sooner. First home buyers have just received an early Christmas gift, of sorts, with an uptick in the number of lenders that have signed up to the Home…  Read more

How to manage your home loan over Christmas

Blog 1100×733 Manage Christmas 2023 It may be called the silly season but a few smart strategies could help you enjoy the festive season this year without missing a beat on your home loan. Check out our tips to share the Christmas cheer this year without breaking the bank. Store shelves are starting to be lined with tinsel, ‘Santa stop here’ signs are popping up around the neighbourhood, and chances…  Read more

The big stretch: should you extend your loan term?

Blog 1100×733 Extend Loan Nov 2023 If the November rate hike will seriously stretch your finances, one potential solution may be to extend your loan term. It can ease the hip pocket pain by lowering monthly repayments. But taking more time to pay off your mortgage can come with hidden downsides. Here’s what to weigh up. Will the RBA’s latest 0.25% cash rate rise squeeze you financially? (not to mention…  Read more

RBA increases the cash rate by 25 basis points, up to 4.35%

Blog 1100×733 Rate Rise Aug 2023 The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points, taking it to 4.35%. So just how much will this year’s Melbourne Cup day rate hike increase your monthly repayments? Some more tough news for mortgage holders around the country today. Despite the official cash rate being on hold since June (and many hoping it would stay that…  Read more

Brokers help settle a record 7-in-10 new mortgages

Blog 1100×733 Broker Share Nov 2023 Mortgage brokers have notched up a new personal best, with seven out of every 10 new mortgages settled thanks to their help! It’s a sure sign that mortgage brokers are delivering the goods when it comes to helping Australians move into their dream homes. In the nine months to 31 March 2023 (while interest rates were rising), mortgage brokers helped settle more than 70%…  Read more

Revealed: the four cities tipped to be future property hotspots

Blog 1100×733 Hotspots 2023 No matter whether you’re in the market for a home or an investment property, it makes financial sense to buy in an area where values are tipped to rise. But where to look? Today we’ll unveil the Australian cities where population growth is tipped to turbo-charge the property market. One of the biggest drivers of property price rises right now is … drumroll … population growth, according…  Read more

How much can you really save by refinancing?

Blog 1100×733 Refinance 2023 Not sure what refinancing is all about? You’re not alone. Our quick explainer lets you master the basics and helps you work out how much you could save. Home loan refinancing is a hot topic right now. Ever since interest rates hit an upward trajectory in May 2022, skyrocketing numbers of homeowners – as many as 28,000 each month – have turned their attention to refinancing. However, plenty…  Read more

One-in-three first home buyers use guarantee schemes

Know anyone who wants to buy their first home? A new report confirms that low deposit schemes are getting younger buyers into a place of their own sooner. First home buyers are ignoring headlines warning that it can take years to save a deposit. Instead, they’re flocking to guarantee schemes that allow them to get into the market with just a 5% deposit – and without the cost of lenders’…  Read more

Business Update – 20 September 2023

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy. The dream of business ownership is drifting out of reach for young Aussies In the past, starting a business was a young person’s golden ticket to financial independence. Today, however, for many young Australians, this dream is drifting out of reach. August unemployment rate remains firm at 3.7% The…  Read more

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