Home Loans Articles

What is a mortgage calculator?

A mortgage calculator is an online tool that shows you how much you’d have to repay based on different home loan scenarios.

What is a non-bank lender?

A non-bank lender is a financial institution that offers mortgages and other types of loans, but which doesn’t hold a banking licence.

Why it would be good if the RBA raised rates

The Reserve Bank hasn’t raised interest rates since 2010, so it will be terrible when it eventually happens, right? Well, no.

Why do home loans get rejected?

Having a home loan rejected can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into your application. While different banks use different criteria to assess home loan applications, there are a few common issues that could see your mortgage application rejected:

What is the Reserve Bank's official cash rate and why should I care?

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s official cash rate is the overnight money market interest rate that the RBA charges on overnight loans to commercial banks.

Mortgage Brokers For Home Loans | RateCity

A mortgage broker is an individual or company that acts as a middleman between the borrower and the lender. The borrower is usually an individual who wants to buy property, while the lender is a bank or a non-bank lender.

How much is Lender's Mortgage Insurance?

Because Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) can be a significant extra expense when purchasing a property, it’s important to include it in your budget when calculating whether you can afford a home loan, to avoid finding yourself in financial stress at the very start of a 30-year mortgage term.

The lowest rates from the biggest banks

Ever wondered which of the high-profile banks offers the cheapest home loan?

Save $1,000 by next Christmas by doing this one thing

If you’re the kind of person who has trouble saving, avoid complicated budgets and the guilt and stress that comes from unexpected expenses by following this one simple savings tip today.

The cheapest home loans on the market

You might be surprised to learn that various lenders are currently offering some of the cheapest mortgage rates in Australia’s history.

What is LVR?

LVR stands for Loan to Value Ratio, and is a comparison of how much you’re borrowing with your mortgage (the Loan) to how much the property you’re purchasing is worth (the Value).

Using a reverse mortgage to pay for retirement

The average age of borrowers taking out a reverse mortgage is 75, so many Aussies are turning to reverse mortgages to pay for their retirement.

Aussies flushing thousands of dollars down the toilet

Ever fancied the idea of flushing money down the toilet? It sounds ridiculous, yet many Australians do something similar.

How do mortgage brokers get paid? | RateCity

How much does a mortgage broker cost? How do brokers make their money? And can this affect which home loans your broker recommends? For the answers to these questions and more, read on:

5 ways to save your home deposit faster

When you’re scraping by to save for your home deposit, the dream can start to feel more like fantasy than reality. RateCity has compiled a list of new and timeless ways you can save your home deposit faster.

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the process of transferring legal ownership of a property from one party to another.

Why do banks change interest rates when the cash rate is steady?

Banks, credit unions, building societies and non-bank lenders often take their lead from the Reserve Bank of Australia when making decisions about interest rates.

These 5 home loan traps could cost you massive dollars

Taking out a mortgage can be an intimidating and confusing process – and the banks don’t exactly go out of their way to make it simpler.