Home Loans Articles

8 cities that are more affordable than Sydney

When you examine the average Australian house prices in December 2016 (according to the Domain Rental & House Pricing Report) the average price of a house in Sydney is $1,123,991.

Will US rate rises affect Australia?

Last night’s meeting of the US Federal Reserve increased America’s benchmark interest rate from 0.75% to 1%. Leading up to this widely-forecast increase, finance industry experts predicted that rising US interest rates may influence Australia and other countries where lenders could struggle with increased overseas funding costs, and raise their own interest rates to compensate.

The benefits of line of credit loans

Do you want more financial freedom? Have you got equity in existing property? Would you like to consolidate your finances? A line of credit loan may give you access to funds to purchase another property, invest in shares or take a well-deserved holiday.

Can you afford a mortgage?

For many Australians, buying your own home is something you dream about (while indulging in a smashed avocado brunch), but is it an unobtainable dream?

Renting vs. buying, what should you choose?

Choosing between renting or buying property can be a daunting process.

New investor loans blocked by big lenders

One of Australia’s biggest lenders has made sweeping changes to its investor lending policies, RateCity understands.

Common refinancing traps and how to avoid them

For the first time refinancer there can be many little traps throughout the process that can mean paying more than you expected.

Rates of the Nation Report, January 2017

The Rates of the Nation report is an historical analysis of interest rates in the home loans, credit cards and deposits space for the last quarter.

How to refinance online

There are now so many tools and resources available on the internet that you can complete the whole refinancing process from start to finish online.

How to find your interest rate

Pop quiz, hotshot – what interest rate are you currently paying on your home loan? Could you name it off the top of your head?

How to find the value of your property

It’s romantic to measure what a home is worth in terms of love, memories, or similarly sentimental metrics. Unfortunately, banks and other mortgage lenders aren’t renowned for their sense of whimsy, and prefer to measure the worth of properties in dollar values.

Looking to use your home equity to refinance?

Whatever your reason for thinking about refinancing your home loan, your ability to do so will depend on a variety of factors, with your amount of available equity being one of the most important.

How much does it cost to refinance?

If you are weighing up the pros and cons of refinancing, you will need to consider the costs that can be involved in the process.

What is the refinancing Fast Track process?

In your refinancing research you may have come across something known as the fast track refinancing process. This refers to a specific type of refinancing, offered by some lenders, that allows the borrower to get their new loan settled in approximately three days if no physical property valuation is required.

Should you switch or negotiate a better rate?

Refinancing your home loan is a significant decision, and one that’s worth giving some proper consideration before taking the plunge. By following RateCity’s six-step process, you can accurately assess the current state of your personal finances, where you would like them to be, and determine whether switching from one lender to another will ultimately be worth it.

Top five reasons to look at mortgage refinance

Thinking of trading in your home loan for a newer model? It might be a good idea if you want to save money, get access to extra features, to finance renovations, consolidate debt or review the market as things may have changed since you purchased your first loan.

What are home loan break costs?

If you have a fixed rate home loan and you are still in the fixed period, you may incur additional charges if you refinance or sell your property and exit from your loan. These charges for breaking the fixed rate home loan contract are called break costs.

Home Loans Guide - Step 7 of 7 - Fees & Charges

Home Loan Deposit - Step by Step guide 7 with Laine Lister - the ins and outs of mortgage fees and charges.