Remember the first time you stepped into a gym? It’s unlikely you swaggered your way over to the free weights rack and started busting out squats. Well, it turns out buying your first home can be just as daunting, with 91% of first-home buyers turning to a mortgage broker for guidance. When it comes to financial decisions, they don’t come much bigger than buying a home. So it’s no wonder that plenty of first-home buyers feel a mix of nerves and excitement. It’s also understandable that more than one-in-two first-home buyers feel the need for support throughout the home-buying process. And for

TikTok and Instagram reels are fun, fast and free – but it’s important to be picky about whose content you’re viewing, especially if you’re in the market for a home loan. Chances are, if you’re reading this blog via a social media site, then you’ve also watched a TikTok or Instagram video before, too. In fact, more than 8.5 million Australians are active on TikTok and almost 14 million on Instagram – making both platforms key players in Australia’s social media landscape. Social media platforms certainly helped us while away the hours during COVID lockdowns, and they’re still keeping us entertained as we check

When will interest rates fall? It’s the question everyone is asking right now, and while speculation swirls about future rate cuts, the latest moves in fixed rates suggest we may not have to wait too much longer for variable interest rates to head south. While about 4-in-5 Australian households are currently on a variable-rate mortgage, fixed-rate home loans shouldn’t be overlooked. Locking into a fixed rate can offer several advantages, including certainty of repayments – which may make budgeting easier – as well as protection from possible rate hikes during the fixed term. Right now, the direction of fixed rates is

When it comes to home loan features we’re spoiled for choice. Even basic loans can come with a fisherman’s basket full of options. But one feature in particular is being targeted by seven out of 10 home buyers. Faced with high interest rates and a cost of living crunch, home owners in droves are using home loan offset accounts to their advantage. One of the nation’s biggest banks, NAB, reports that almost 70% of new home loan customers are opting for an offset account, up from 50% just two years ago. And it can help them save on interest. How do

We’ve all heard the rule of thumb about property being a long-term investment. Well, get this: many home owners have seen the value of their property quintuple within the timeframe of a typical 30-year mortgage. Ask any long-term home owner what they originally paid for their property, and chances are they’ll respond with an eye-wateringly low figure. Plenty of Australians look back on the price they paid for their home and marvel at how low it seems relative to current values – often while breathing a sigh of relief that they bought when they did. This is not a recent

The sun is out – and so are the buyers! Spring is traditionally a peak period for property, and there’s a good reason why spring 2024 is shaping up to be a bumper season. Here’s how to prepare if you’re planning to buy in the weeks ahead. At last! It’s time to pack away the winter woollens, and dust off the t-shirts and shorts. Spring is just around the corner, and that means sellers will be sprucing up their homes to attract as many buyers as possible. Spring has always been a popular time for sellers and buyers alike. Gardens