Want to grow your investment portfolio but have most of your wealth tied up in your family home? You may be able to leverage recent gains in the property market as equity for an investment property. Let’s take a look. We all have a few financial goals. And right now, investing in a rental property is one of the more popular investment goals among Australians. In fact, more than one-in-five Australians (21%) aspire to own investment properties to build their wealth, according to MLC’s Financial Freedom report. And interestingly, this percentage increases to 27% for Gen Zs and 23% for Gen

Your job can provide more than an income. When it comes to being approved for a home loan, certain roles can enjoy favourable treatment from lenders. So today we’ll look at some of the occupations that can offer up home loan perks. One of the first things a lender will look at when you apply for a home loan is your ability to manage repayments. And for most of us, that comes down to having a job that pays a regular income. However, not all jobs – and types of income – are treated in the same way by every

A cost of living crunch is driving a new trend among renters – and it’s changing the wish lists of some property investors. We reveal what’s happening across the rental and investment markets. Investors have been a driving force in the property market lately, with lending to investors up almost 30% over the year to May 2024. Part of the appeal has undoubtedly been rising property values, which have jumped 10.14% nationally since the market lows of late 2022, leaving many investors pocketing tidy capital gains. However, successful investing can also involve buying a property with plenty of tenant appeal, and new research from CoreLogic indicates

Kiwis hoping to buy a first home in Australia have just scored gold! The popular Aussie low-deposit home buying scheme has been opened up to visa holders from across the Tasman. Here’s what you need to know. Sure, the Kiwis have the All Blacks, the glaciers and landscapes fit for a Hobbit. But Australia offers New Zealanders something that could deliver more of an adrenaline rush than bungy jumping in Queenstown. And that’s the chance to buy their first home in Australia with as little as a 5% deposit. The popular Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) lets Aussie citizens and permanent

Scared to apply for a home loan? You’re not alone. Fear of rejection has stopped one in five Aussies from applying for finance over the past year. We explain what’s driving this fear, and how you can boost your chances of getting approved. No one enjoys rejection. But despite this, there are plenty of times in life when we put ourselves in a position where rejection is a possibility. From applying for a new job to asking the love of your life to marry you, the risk of a knock back isn’t too far away. Yet we give it a go

As property prices hit record highs across a number of cities, it’s no surprise that new home loan balances are also nudging towards fresh peaks. Today we’ll reveal what the ‘average’ new home loan is in your state, and provide you with some handy tips to help bring down your balance sooner. High interest rates and a cost of living crunch haven’t stopped home values rising 8% nationally over the last 12 months. According to CoreLogic that’s added an extra $59,000 to the average Australian home’s value. It’s great news for home owners, but not so good for buyers, who may have to