Laine Gordon

Do packaged loans really save a bundle?

Packaged home loans are very popular, especially when interest rates are rising. But be sure to crunch the numbers to see just how much of a discount you’ll enjoy. A package home loan may not always save a bundle.

Rate rise drives first home buyers out

The future for first home buyers remains uncertain, with more and more exiting the home loan market every month. And now as interest rates rise, and government grants are reduced, their triumphant return is more unlikely than ever.

Are coastal homes an affordable dream?

A fall in coastal property prices over the past year has created more opportunities for people thinking of a sea change. As people scrambled to snap up houses in metropolitan areas, competition on the coast has waned, but property research from RP Data suggests the tide will soon turn.

Watch your credit habits - Tougher lending on the way

New credit and privacy laws could make it harder and more expensive to get a home loan so get your credit habits in order now. A new national scheme for regulating credit is to be phased in between now and July 2011.

Home alone Can single income buyers afford a home?

Many young professionals on a single income have been pondering their chances of survival in the home buying game. But how affordable is it to step into the property market right now?

What is the real cost of buying a property?

What exactly do you have to pay for when purchasing a home? Number one fee to hit your back pocket of course is stamp duty, followed by more upfront fees.

Why Gen Y is broke $2.6B lent to friends

Generation Y is struggling to manage their finances, with the vast majority resorting to borrowing and lending informally between friends and peers, a St George Bank survey has found. Just what will it take for Gen Y to learn the savings lesson?

Why Gen Y is broke $2.6B lent to friends

Generation Y is struggling to manage their finances, with the vast majority resorting to borrowing and lending informally between friends and peers, a St George Bank survey has found. Just what will it take for Gen Y to learn the savings lesson?

Are you wasting $2,700 on home loan fees?

Interest may be the key expense of a mortgage but it pays to be mindful of ongoing fees that can significantly boost the overall cost of a loan. A review of more than 2,000 Australian home loans by RateCity has revealed that almost a third (29 percent) of loans come with ongoing fees, ranging from $3 per month to a hefty $35 each month.

Fixed last year? Switch now and pocket $720 a month

Many Australians can save $720 a month by switching from last year’s high fixed rates to a variable home loan. Australian mortgagees may be panicking in light of the interest rate rise announced on October 6. RateCity has shown that borrowers, who locked in to a high fixed rate last year, may now have a window of opportunity to save money on their home loans, if they switch to a variable rate now.