Laine Gordon

Ultimate home buyer checklist

Type A personalities will possibly enjoy the home buying process more than others as the potential for lists, checklists and cross-referencing is vast. Here’s a list of lists you will find useful.

First home owners how much can you really afford to borrow?

There's so much more to buying your first home than applying for your First Home Owner's Grant. Just because you get approval to borrow a huge sum of money, doesn't mean you should. Using home loan calculators is a great way to work out how much you should borrow but there are a few extra factors to consider.

How to sail smoothly through your loan approval process

Take some of the angst out of waiting for your home loan to be approved by following these foolproof tips.

Get rid of your mortgage faster

If the thought of being chained to your home loan for 30 years sends you into a cold sweat you may want to consider these tips to fast track your way to a peaceful night's sleep. Overall, aim to pay off at least an extra month of payments per year.

Ask the right questions about your mortgage

So, you know how much you can borrow, and how much you can afford to repay. But when you’re shopping around for your mortgage, there are other important questions that must be asked before you sign on the dotted line.

Tips for saving money for your home loan

What do you need, what do you want and how can you cut back? Here's how to figure it out and save money in the process.

Property valuation what to look for

You've found the home you simply have to have. Now comes the task of figuring out exactly what your dream home is worth. These simple tips can help make sure you pay the right price.

Mortgage health does your home loan need a check up?

Since the federal government released their new Competitive and Sustainable Banking System Package banning mortgage exit fees, it's predicted 2011 will be the year of the great mortgage switch.

Vehicle theft more common than you think

Did you know a vehicle is stolen every eight minutes somewhere in Australia? And between January and September 2010, 33,482 cars were stolen across the country. That's the frightening statistic in a recent report from car insurer Budget Direct.

How to evaluate your finances and create a budget

Whether you're trying to get a foot on the property ladder for the first time or would simply like to shave a little time off the life of your home loan by making extra repayments, you first need to take a good, hard look at your finances. The key here is to manage your money not have your money manage you.