Home loans
Opinion
Ask an expert
Help! What loan should we get now our fixed rate is ending?
Offset accounts can be incredibly powerful debt reduction tools, but make sure you’re also getting a good deal on your repayments.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Latest
Opinion
Earnings season
What keeps CBA’s boss awake at night? It isn’t stressed borrowers
Any board that ticks off a share buyback and a higher dividend payout ratio is sending a message that it is not concerned about the strength of its franchise.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Analysis
Interest rates
Why the time is ripe to ask for a discount on your mortgage
Existing borrowers are currently in pole position to negotiate discounts on their mortgages as lenders fight to keep customers.
- by John Collett
Analysis
Interest rates
Mortgage arrears set to increase even if rates stay on hold
Mortgage arrears levels have not risen by as much as expected, but they are likely to ratchet up in coming months.
- by John Collett
Analysis
Analysis
New schemes helping first home buyers despite soaring prices
Determined home buyers can still find their way into the market with careful planning and the help of some new government schemes.
- by Hannah Farrow
Opinion
Ask an expert
I can afford a house, but the mortgage concerns me. Should I rent instead?
It’s certainly reasonable to be cautious about the amount you borrow, but staying out of the housing market could cost you.
- by Paul Benson
Opinion
Opinion
Three ways to use your offset account to beat rate rises
By being creative with how you use your offset account you could slash thousands from your mortgage repayment bill.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Analysis
Analysis
Apartment owners face strata fee increases of 20 per cent as costs soar
Levies have risen over the past year as the costs of insurance, utilities and repairs and maintenance outstrip even the rapid rise in inflation.
- by John Collett
Opinion
Opinion
Just in time, lenders are freeing borrowers from ‘mortgage prison’
Big banks and other lenders are, thankfully, rethinking their mortgage “stress tests” that left refinancers trapped.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
The graph that shows stressed property owners may be starting to crack
There has been an unseasonal increase in the number of homes for sale, as soaring mortgage repayments stretch some households’ finances beyond what they can manage.
- by Elizabeth Redman
Analysis
Analysis
This simple switch could help you pay off your mortgage quicker
Though most borrowers in Australia opt for monthly home loan repayments, making repayments fortnightly instead could provide greater savings.
- by Caterina Hrysomallis