First home buyers with a small deposit now have an even wider range of lenders to choose from. We reveal the latest banks to join the 5% deposit scheme that’s helping more buyers get into the market sooner. First home buyers have just received an early Christmas gift, of sorts, with an uptick in the number of lenders that have signed up to the Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS). Three Westpac brands, St.George, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA, have added their names to the list of lenders available to first home buyers under the HGS. If you’re not familiar with the HGS, it

It may be called the silly season but a few smart strategies could help you enjoy the festive season this year without missing a beat on your home loan. Check out our tips to share the Christmas cheer this year without breaking the bank. Store shelves are starting to be lined with tinsel, ‘Santa stop here’ signs are popping up around the neighbourhood, and chances are you’re beginning to hum a few bars of Jingle Bells. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner, and now’s the time to plan for what can be a pricey time of year. After 13

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. Will the RBA’s latest 0.25% cash rate rise squeeze you financially? (not to mention the other 12 rate hikes!) The majority of lenders lost no time increasing their variable home loan rates following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 0.25% Melbourne Cup Day rate rise. According to Mozo, the 13th rate hike

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? Some more tough news for mortgage holders around the country today. Despite the official cash rate being on hold since June (and many hoping it would stay that way), the RBA has decided to press ahead with a second consecutive Melbourne Cup day rate rise in an attempt to rein in inflation. This means we’ve now had 13 rate hikes in 18 months since

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. In the nine months to 31 March 2023 (while interest rates were rising), mortgage brokers helped settle more than 70% of all new residential home loans, according to the latest data from the MFAA. It’s the first time ever that brokers have helped settle more than 70% of home loans over a three-month-plus period. For context, just

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. One of the biggest drivers of property price rises right now is … drumroll … population growth, according to PropTrack. Let’s take a look at the cities more people are expected to call home. Is the regional renaissance over? During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians were flocking to regional areas.