Home Loans Articles

Home loans for Gen Y

The property market can be a hard nut to crack, especially for the next generation of young home buyers. For the sensible Gen Y that are looking to buy their first home, with a little help from their parents, they can.

What options do first home buyers have?

Australians hoping to snap up their first home this year will have to tackle growing property prices, rising interest rates and the continuation of tight lending conditions, all without the help of the First Home Owners Boost.

Rising rates will cost households $3.34 billion in 2010

Like both sides of a coin, low unemployment levels and rising home prices are indicative of an economy making a comeback from the GFC but on the flip side Australian households are being hit hard with constant interest rates hikes.

Borrowers snub home loans after rate hikes and lower incentives

Home loans have been on the decline in recent months, potentially due to the consecutive rate increases towards the end of 2009. With interest rates expected to rise even higher, borrowers are scrambling for more competitive deals.

Home owners flounder while banks flourish in record profits

The Commonwealth Bank is the latest major bank to see record profits for the first half of the 2009-10 financial year. This has sparked concerns that interest rates will remain inflated above expected levels, placing thousands more home loan borrowers in the red.

Home loans How much should you really be paying?

As interest rates increase, mortgage repayments can start to become a challenge for people with variable rate home loans. It is one thing to sign up for a mortgage, but what happens a year or two later when your interest rates and circumstances may change?

Tough times ahead How to manage your mortgage

Chances are you’re going to be living with your home loan for quite a while. And that means being able to handle the mortgage in good – and not so good, times.

Financial claims scheme: Australian deposit guarantee

During the global financial crisis the Federal Government followed many developed nations by introducing a home loan guarantee. The financial claims scheme applies to a range of deposits.

No government guarantee to shake up home loan market

The Australian Government is taking away the home loan guarantee that supported lenders during the global financial crisis, in an effort to urge the economy towards independent recovery.

Home loan dilemma Aussies caught between interest rate hikes

The time to purchase a home loan may be nigh, as consumer confidence and economic indicators suggest more rate rises in the first half of 2010. Now the decision for home buyers is whether to rush into the market before the rate hikes, or wait until rates settle to compare home loans for the best offers.

2009 A year in review for home loans

2009 was a big year for home loans, with hundreds of lessons to be learned for home buyers. Going into the New Year, home buyers will hate to repeat past mistakes. So what have we learned from 2009?

Freebies for the picking loans with extras

In an environment of rising rates it makes sense to get every ounce of value from your mortgage lender, and there are plenty of freebies available if you know where to look. The idea of getting something for nothing holds universal appeal. However it’s essential to check that the freebies don’t come at the cost of a higher rate and fees.

Compare and save: home loans

Comparing home loans can take up hours of your time but it's a necessary part in the home buying process. Luckily you can now compare thousands of home loans in one place, which makes shopping around just a little bit easier.

Make your home loan portable

When comparing home loans, an important feature to consider is home loan portability. Many home loans offer loan portability as a standard option available, which is the ability to move your loan from one property to another.

What is a honeymoon period?

Home loans and mortgages can offer you a honeymoon period, which are suppose to help alleviate the burden of a loan for a short initial period of time, often with a low introductory interest rate.

Top home loans

If you are looking to compare the top home loans, then you've come to the right place. At RateCity, you are able to compare and apply for the top home loans on offer by hundreds of lenders and search through thousands of products.

What is a global financial crisis?

We hear global financial crisis bantered around with a sense of imminent fear but what exactly does it mean and how does it affect us?

What is a fixed mortgage?

In times when interest rates are set to rise more Australians turn to fixed rates for stability. A fixed rate mortgage sets your repayments for a period of time on a fixed rate often 1 to 5 years in length.