Laine Gordon

What does pre approval really mean?

It’s easy to have your home loan pre-approved, but it doesn’t necessarily mean your lender will part with the funds at crunch time. There are dozens of lenders offering so-called online loan approval in 60 seconds, but it’s not until your application is assessed for risk by a live action human being that you’re in the clear

Australia's top three most popular home loans

The variable rate home loan is Australia’s most popular. This loan calculates interest on your mortgage based on the Reserve Bank’s cash rate. If interest rates go up, you pay more, if you they go down you pay a less.

Auction vs. private treaty which one is right for you

In Australia, private treaty still proliferates with only around 15 percent of property sales the result of the auction process. Benefits of selling at auction: it puts a time frame on the sale.

Aussies waste $1.3 billion on credit card fees

Australians are spending in excess of $1.3 billion in credit card fees each year, despite the fact that more than two dozen fee-free cards now exist in the market, RateCity has found.

Mortgage offset accounts and all in one home loans

100 percent offset accounts are often confused with all in one home loans. Read this article to find out the difference between these two types of mortgages and how both can help reduce your interest repayments.

Buyers' agents numbers increase at auction

Using a professional agent to help you win at auction is becoming increasingly popular. Not to be confused with a selling agent who works for the vendor, a buyer’s agent can help you find the right property, decide what you’re willing to pay and handle all negotiations.

Don't attend an auction without bidding

Graeme Hennessy, Principle of Premier Property Auctions in Sydney, says the biggest mistake people make at auction is to hang back and not bid.

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.