Home Loans Articles

Try before you buy property

In a bid to kick start a sluggish property market, would-be homebuyers in Queensland are being given the opportunity to live in their dream home before they buy it.

Educated first home buyers slash home loans

In a sign that the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) decision to cut interest rates in recent months is starting to bite, research shows borrowers are making more than the minimum loan repayments in a bid to slash their home loan liabilities.

Six rules to capitalise in a slow property market

Buying property does not automatically guarantee financial success.

More homebuyers fix amid economic uncertainty

It was always the big question for homebuyers; lock in a fixed interest rate or take a gamble and go for variable. Now amid economic uncertainty more Australians are taking the guesswork out of mortgages by fixing their rates.

Auction v private sale: how to create a bidding war

If you're thinking of selling your home now may be the time to do it as buyers flood back into the market.

Millions have no savings safety net

Millions of Australians have little or no savings set aside to cover emergency situations such as redundancy, research shows.

Low interest rates fail to curb mortgage defaults

Borrowers are increasingly defaulting on their home loan repayments despite the low official cash rates, research shows.

Renovating for profit

It’s easy enough to paint a few walls, sand floorboards and call yourself a renovator. But knowing exactly what you need to do to add value to your home requires expert knowledge, which many people do not have.

Rents surpass purchase prices in affordable suburbs

Renters looking to play the property game now have an opportunity to do so, according to the latest research from RP Data, which revealed that there is up to 238 suburbs nationwide where it is currently cheaper to own a home through a principal and interest mortgage than it is to rent.

Property market ripe for rebound

Falling property prices and lower interest rates are drawing buyers back into the property market, giving Australia's gloomy lending sector some cause for optimism.

Home deposits remain a hurdle for first home buyers

First home buyers remain overwhelmed by the need to save a large deposit for their first home with the revelation that the nation's average loan size has jumped by 48 percent in the last 10 years.

Rate cuts "too late" for struggling borrowers

Forty percent of Australians who bought homes after the global financial crisis are facing mortgage stress, and many will be forced to sell because their homes are worth less than their mortgages, reports show.

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Three money tips for every income

Money is tight, you're busy and tackling money issues isn't fun. But if you wish you could once and for all get your financial house in order, then the time to act is now.

The 40-year home loan

When you're looking at your dream home, it's hard to stop and think about the long-term costs of borrowing. But with home loan terms ranging up to 40 years, it's always worth calculating these costs.

How much is your teen costing you?

New mums and dads probably think if they can get through the first couple of years, the financial burden will get easier.

Deciding whether to fix your home loan rate

Making a choice about whether to fix your home loan interest rate or ride the variable rollercoaster could mean thousands of dollars to your bottom line. It can also mean hours of procrastination trying to decide the right financial step.

What to do when you hit a financial cul-de-sac

Almost one-fifth of first-time buyers attracted by government grants during the global financial crisis face the prospect of losing their homes by the middle of 2013, according to a new report.