Home Loans Frequently Asked Questions

To compare home loans, you can assess the components of the loan against your own financial situation and other mortgages in the market.

Look at the interest rate, rate type (fixed or variable), loan fees, features, loan term, repayment frequency and more to find a home loan that fits with your budget and property goals.

Then, use comparison tools like comparison tables, calculators, or RateCity's Real Time Ratings^TM to create a short list of home loan options, and decide which home loan best suits your needs.

Mortgage interest rates change based on two main factors: changes to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) cash rate, and out-of-cycle rate hikes from your lender.

Generally, your home loan lender will change its mortgage rates in alignment with the RBA’s cash rate. On the first Tuesday of each month (excluding January) the RBA meets to decide whether the cash rate should increase, decrease, or stay on hold. If the cash rate changes, a lender’s variable interest rates should change in tandem.

Lenders may also change interest rates out-of-cycle with the RBA cash rate, with fixed rates and variable rates frequently hiked and cut at the lender’s discretion. To stay on top of changing mortgage rates, read the latest home loan news.

A lot of Australians compare home loans using the advertised interest rate, which indicates how much interest you’ll be charged on your mortgage repayments. The lower your rate, the cheaper your home loan should be.

However, interest charges aren’t the only cost associated with home loans. Most mortgage lenders also charge fees on their home loans. A mortgage with a low interest rate and high fees can sometimes cost more than a mortgage with a high interest rate and low fees.

A home loan’s comparison rate combines the cost of interest with the cost of standard fees and charges into a single percentage rate. Mortgage lenders are required to display a comparison rate alongside their advertised rate to better indicate the home loan’s overall cost.

Keep in mind that to ensure consistency, all comparison rates are calculated assuming a $150,000 principal and interest mortgage with a 25 year term. As your home loan may be different, the comparison rate may not accurately reflect exactly how much your home loan may cost. Also, the comparison rate doesn’t include every home loan fee and charge, so it’s still important to compare home loans and read the fine print before you apply.

The interest rate on a home loan is sometimes called the mortgage rate. This percentage indicates how much interest the lender will charge you with each home loan repayment. Your interest rate is effectively the “cost” of “buying” the money you’re using to buy a property – the higher your mortgage rate, the more your home loan repayments may cost.

Using a home loan calculator, you can estimate how much your home loan repayments may cost, based on your mortgage rate, loan term, and loan amount. This may also be affected by whether you’re making principal and interest repayments or interest-only repayments, if you have a fixed rate or variable rate mortgage, and any fees and other charges that may apply.

If you have a variable rate home loan, changes to your mortgage rate may affect the cost of your repayments. Rising interest rate could cost you more in interest charges, while interest rate cuts could see you paying less interest on your home loan.

If you have a fixed rate home loan, your interest charges will stay the same during the fixed interest period, regardless of whether the lender’s variable rates rise or fall. Once the fixed rate term expires, your loan will revert to a variable rate, so be prepared in case of bill shock.

A home loan is a finance product that allows a home buyer to borrow a large sum of money from a lender for the purchase of a residential property. The home is then put up as "security" or "collateral" on the loan, giving the lender the right to repossess the property in the case that the borrower fails to repay their loan.

Once you take out a home loan, you'll need to repay the amount borrowed, plus interest, in regular instalments over a predetermined period of time.

The interest you're charged on each mortgage repayment is based on your remaining loan amount, also known as your loan principal. The rate at which interest is charged on your home loan principal is expressed as a percentage.

Different home loan products charge different interest rates and fees, and offer a range of different features to suit a variety of buyers’ needs.

Mortgage rates are influenced by the official cash rate, which is determined by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) at its monthly board meeting on the first Tuesday of every month, except for January.

The official cash rate is the interest rate that banks charge other banks to borrow money. If the RBA cuts the cash rate, the interest rate banks are charged when they borrow from other banks is reduced. Likewise, if the cash rate is hiked, the interest rate banks are charged will go up.

If banks can save money from reduced interest rates, they will often pass on some or all of these savings to their variable rate home loan customers – although they are not required to. They can also choose to pass on a cash rate rise by increasing mortgage interest rates.

Credit inquiries are records on your credit file that appear when you apply for a loan. If you have multiple credit inquiries on your file, lenders may see you as a high-risk borrower.

• Hard inquiries appear on your credit file when the lender reviews your credit report before approving.
• Soft inquiries do not appear on your credit file.

When you have multiple credit checks for mortgage or other loans, reflecting on your file can negatively impact your credit score. These remain on your credit report for two years; however, their impact reduces over time.

Generally, lenders prefer if you've had one or two hard inquiries over the previous six months. More than this may result in the lender declining your mortgage application. However, your overall credit history is important, and if you have a consistent history of timely payments and low revolving credit balances, the impact of multiple inquiries may be lower.

The amount of money you can borrow through a mortgage depends not only on your salary but also on your creditworthiness, your savings, and other debts you are paying off.

For instance, you could be earning $5,000 a month, but if you are making repayments of $2,000 and are only able to put away $500 towards savings, you may not have much borrowing power.

Consider using an online calculator to figure out how much you can afford to borrow, based on your salary and expenses.

When changing or refinancing your home loan, you may focus on paying less interest, but you should also account for other fees charged by your existing lender as well as the new lender. Your current lender will likely charge a loan discharge fee and possibly also a settlement fee, which can together cost you a few hundred dollars. Applying for a new loan will similarly involve an administration fee as well as a property valuation fee if the new lender insists on verifying the value of your home. Further, depending on the state or territory you live in, you may need to pay duties and fees to register the change in your mortgage. 

You may want to think about why you are changing home loans, and then use a refinancing calculator to see how you can get the most out of the switch. For instance, if you are refinancing your mortgage to pay it off faster, you could check if another lender will offer a shorter loan period, involving larger repayments. You should check whether your current mortgage lender is willing to renegotiate your loan terms before you approach a new lender and thus save on some of the fees.