Switching home loans could help pay down your mortgage sooner, providing you are refinancing for the right reasons and understand what’s involved. Here’s our guide to refinancing to help you make the right move when the time comes.
With interest rates at an historical low, now could be the time to make the most of your disposable income and pay off your mortgage sooner with an offset savings account.
Whether you think it’s a necessary evil, believe it makes the world go round or wish it grew on trees — money is an essential part of life. Take our quiz to test how much you really know about your money and how it can work for you.
Consider this: 30 years ago it cost about 3.5 times the average annual salary to buy an average priced Australian home — today, it costs around 7.5 times our yearly earnings 1. With the average new home loan nudging $444,0002, it’s more important than ever to look at strategies to shrink your mortgage and work towards greater financial freedom sooner.
The good news is interest rates are at record lows. The bad news is the average mortgage size in most Australian capitals has hit an all-time high. The challenge for many borrowers who are used to low rates could be keeping up with payments when rates inevitably rise. Those who want to get ahead will be taking steps now to make the most of low rates so they have a buffer down the track. But if you are already feeling weighed down by debt, it may be time to lighten the load.
If securing your first home, stepping up to something better or securing an investment property is on your to-do list for 2015 then it may be in your interest to maximise your borrowing power. Understanding how much you can borrow will help you make critical decisions, especially when it comes to what to buy and when.
After 18 months of record low interest rates, many Australians are wondering what’s in store for 2015. With the official cash rate so low, is it a case of what goes down, must go up? Or can we expect the interest savings to continue into the year?
Many buyers struggling to find the right home are going back to the drawing board and building rather than buying an existing home.
Your home is likely to be the biggest purchase you make, so it’s something you want to get right. Mistakes can be stressful and costly. Here are the biggest ones buyers make and some tips to help you avoid them.
Competition among lenders for home loans remains steep but borrowers may still be missing out on
great deals and important information that could save them thousands of dollars.