Insights

If the November rate hike will seriously stretch your finances, one potential solution may be to extend your loan term. It can ease the hip pocket pain by lowering monthly repayments. But taking more time to pay off your mortgage can come with hidden downsides. Here’s what to weigh up.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points, taking it to 4.35%. So just how much will this year’s Melbourne Cup day rate hike increase your monthly repayments?

Mortgage brokers have notched up a new personal best, with seven out of every 10 new mortgages settled thanks to their help! It’s a sure sign that mortgage brokers are delivering the goods when it comes to helping Australians move into their dream homes.

No matter whether you’re in the market for a home or an investment property, it makes financial sense to buy in an area where values are tipped to rise. But where to look? Today we’ll unveil the Australian cities where population growth is tipped to turbo-charge the property market.

Debt consolidation involves bringing your existing debts together into one new loan. The objective is to reduce the number of individual payments you make and reduce the interest rate you are paying on your more expensive debts. This may be something to consider if you are: Managing multiple debt repayments and struggling to keep track…

A fixed rate home loan allows you to set your interest rate for a period of time. This is usually in the range of one to five years.  Sometimes, you can arrange to secure your interest rate for longer. Fixing your interest rate can be a suitable option for some people, however you should be…

The repayment on your mortgage will always include the interest payable on the amount borrowed, no matter what kind of loan you have. If you have a Principal & Interest loan (P&I), part of your repayment will also be allocated to reducing the balance of the loan. With an Interest Only loan (IO), your repayments…

Lenders Mortgage Insurance is often referred to as LMI. It is insurance that a lender takes out to insure itself against the risk of not recovering the full loan balance if the borrower (you) were unable to meet loan repayments. LMI is a one-off fee charged by the Lender to you when you need to…

Not sure what refinancing is all about? You’re not alone. Our quick explainer lets you master the basics and helps you work out how much you could save.

Know anyone who wants to buy their first home? A new report confirms that low deposit schemes are getting younger buyers into a place of their own sooner.

Property prices have soared almost 7% this year alone. With the upswing predicted to continue, we unpack what’s driving national housing values higher – and why it could pay to get into the market sooner.

Apartments stand out as an affordable choice when it comes to cracking the property market, not to mention downsizing. But a looming shortage may soon push unit values higher.