Household budgets around the country are feeling the brunt of five back-to-back rate hikes. And we’ve been warned more are on the way. But just how long does it take for each rate rise to impact your monthly mortgage repayments?
Recent back-to-back interest rate hikes have led to a cooling of the property market, and with more rate rises predicted, you may feel like pumping the brakes on purchasing. But could the current climate offer opportunities?
The Reserve Bank of Australia has hiked the official cash rate by another 50 basis points to 2.35%. Here’s how much you can expect to pay on your mortgage going forward and how we could give you a helping hand.
They say all good things come to an end, and that includes your ultra-low fixed-rate home loan period. So what can you do to ensure a smooth transition?
Property prices are predicted to fall over the coming year, but it’s always hard to know exactly when they’re going to start trending back up again. So if you’re interested in taking advantage of the dip, it could pay to start preparing now.
You’ve probably heard that interest rates are on the rise and national property prices are on the way back down. Here’s how you can kill two birds with one stone: by refinancing to unlock equity and giving your home an energy-efficient makeover at the same time.
Thinking about refinancing? As interest rates rise, so do the hurdles you need to clear. Here’s why you might want to look at refinancing soon to avoid potentially missing out.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by another 50 basis points to 1.85%. Here’s how to hang in there and keep up with all these monthly cash rate hikes.
We’ve seen interest rates bounce back up over the past three months, and most economists are predicting more increases to come. If you’re starting to worry about your finances, rest assured there are several steps you can take now to get on the front foot.
Seven in 10 homeowners have recently used the equity in their home to renovate, invest in property or shares, or boost their superannuation. Have you thought about how you could take advantage of last year’s property price spike?
Single Australians under 30 snare the lion’s share of spots in the federal government’s 5% deposit first home buyer scheme, according to new data. Here’s how to secure one of the highly coveted 35,000 scheme spots released on July 1.
Got your eye on a luxury car that’ll make your mates jealous? Or perhaps something that’s a little more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly? Today we’ll run you through a new tax change that could help you buy something a little more la-de-da.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by another 50 basis points to 1.35% amid continuing inflation pressures. How much will this third consecutive hike increase your monthly mortgage repayments?
With interest rates on the way back up, there’s no doubt some households around the country are starting to do it a bit tough. Coincidentally, some big changes kick in on July 1 when it comes to recording financial hardship arrangements.
We’re just days away from 35,000 first home buyer scheme spots becoming available on July 1. If you’re keen to snare a place in the scheme – and buy your first home sooner – here’s how to get ahead of the pack.
Tax time is just around the corner and the ATO has sent out a warning to businesses around the country that owe it money: the COVID-19 moratorium on debt collection has come to an end. Rest assured though, you’ve got some options.
Rising interest rates got you feeling a little vulnerable? It might be time to take some control back by refinancing or asking for a rate review. Here’s why we’re seeing refinancing numbers surge across the country.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 0.85%. How much extra should you expect to pay on your home loan?
Some of Australia’s biggest banks have tightened their mortgage lending criteria, meaning you might not be able to borrow as much from them. How might this affect your next purchase?
Small businesses around the nation are once again confident about their future and ready to start driving toward their next phase of growth, according to new research.
Property investors beware: the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has revealed the four key areas it will be targeting this tax year, and rental property income/deductions and capital gains are high on the hit list.
Housing affordability is one of the key battlegrounds ahead of the federal election this Saturday. So what is each of the two major parties proposing to help first home buyers crack the market? Let’s take a look.
Rate rises are a bit like taking off in a plane. Sure, it’s a bit nervy, but so long as you’ve run through your pre-flight check, have a well-serviced aircraft, built-in some contingencies (a buffer!), and have a handy co-pilot (us!), you should reach your destination no worries.
Small business owners wanting to buy a vehicle, asset or important piece of equipment and immediately write off the cost have just over a month to act this financial year.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 0.35% amid high inflation concerns and has signalled more cash rate increases will likely follow.
The chances of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifting the official cash rate on Tuesday just increased dramatically after figures showed the cost of living jumped 5.1% over the past year – the highest annual increase in more than 20 years.
Australian small businesses are investing in their recovery through a surge in machinery purchases, IT and office technologies, and sustainable business assets, according to Commonwealth Bank (CBA) data.
First home buyers with a deposit of just 5% will soon have more purchasing power thanks to an increase in property price caps for the highly popular Home Guarantee Scheme.
It’s the hope that kills you. Just ask Carlton fans, NSW Blues supporters, Wallabies sufferers, and hopeful homebuyers who have fallen victim to underquoting. Obviously, you can’t change your footy team, but you can follow these tips to avoid the sketchy real estate practice.
Car enthusiasts around the nation got a bit of a shock this week when the Tesla Model 3 rocketed up the sales leaderboard to place third for all new vehicles sold in March.
It’s taking young couples roughly five years on average to save for a 20% home loan deposit, according to new research. Want to hear something crazy, though? We know how to quarter that timeframe…
First home buyers, regional buyers and single parents keen to crack the property market are the big winners in this year’s federal budget – with 50,000 low deposit, no LMI scheme spots up for grabs.
Think property prices have gone a little bonkers? You’re not the only one. Which is why a report with 16 recommendations to tackle housing affordability has just been plonked on pollies’ desks in Canberra. Today we’ll run through them for you (succinctly, we promise).
Most of you would have noticed that car prices have gone up significantly over the past two years. But how much have they gone up exactly? Let’s take a look.
New data from the lending watchdog reveals almost one in four new mortgages are risky. How are they deemed risky? Well, it’s got something to do with your debt-to-income ratio, which we’ll explain in this week’s article.
Home and business owners impacted by the floods in New South Wales and Queensland can apply to their lender for a three-month loan deferral or reduced payment arrangement. Here’s how to apply if you or someone you know has been impacted.
It’s a three-speed property market across the country right now, with two capital cities showing signs prices might’ve peaked, three cities looking like they could soon peak, and three still going strong. How is the market performing in your neck of the woods?
It wasn’t long ago that the idea of buying an electric vehicle (EV) seemed like a bit of futuristic science-fiction. But with interest rates on EV loans recently dropping to under 3%, going electric is now more in the realms of an everyday, mundane, household budget decision.
Keen to tackle a renovation project in 2022? You might have noticed that tradies are hard to pin down at the moment. So if you live in one of the suburbs in this week’s article, you might want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later…
Hold onto your hats, things are about to get a little bumpy. Economists from Australia’s biggest bank are predicting the Reserve Bank will raise the official cash rate as early as June – and we’re already seeing fixed interest rates increase significantly.
What’s most important to you when selecting a lender to provide finance for your small business right now? Well, Australian small business owners have put ‘flexibility’ when it comes to loan repayments right up there on their priority list.
Construction costs just rose at the fastest annual pace since 2005. So why is it getting so expensive to build your own home? Today we’ll look at the materials that are becoming more expensive and why all homeowners should take note – not just renovators and builders.
National property prices are predicted to rise by up to 9% in 2022, according to REA Group, but which cities are tipped to lead the way in price growth this year? Let’s take a look.
Ever dreamed about telling your boss to “shove it” and starting up your own business? Well, there’s been a big jump in Millennials and Gen Zs who are saving up to do just that (well, maybe except for the “shove it” part!).
With all the talk of record-breaking property growth throughout 2021, do you know how exactly your suburb and property type performed? Today we’ll show you how to find out in just a few clicks.
How much do you need to borrow to buy a typical Australian home these days? Well, the average loan size has increased dramatically over the past year – up almost $100,000.
Some of us buy cars for work, others for play. So it’s no surprise that the top two cars in 2021 can do both. But which vehicle took the crown? Well, it was super close, so let’s have a look.
Australian homeowners are loading up their offset accounts in record amounts, so much so that the average household is almost four years ahead on their mortgage payments.
National housing values grew 22.1% in 2021, and there are two capital cities and one region in particular that are not ready to slow down just yet. Can you guess where?
Cut calories, increase your steps, abstain from alcohol: each year we set ourselves some pretty lofty New Year’s resolutions, most of which are doomed to fail. So why not add a nice straightforward financial goal to the list this year?
To all our terrific clients: thank you for your ongoing support and for being such wonderful, loyal clients. We hope you’re shifting into holiday mode and getting ready to relax and unwind (or looking forward to a few public holidays at least!).
Want to buy your first home with a deposit of just 5% and pay no lenders’ mortgage insurance? You could be in luck – the federal government will soon reissue up to 4,651 unused Home Guarantee Scheme spots.
Ever thought about taking out a loan for your business but hesitated because you were worried about meeting your repayments? Don’t worry, it’s a common concern. But some promising data has just come out that might help you put those fears aside.
Christmas is fast approaching and there’s a good chance you’ve started turning your attention to gifts for family and friends. But be careful this silly season: more than half of Buy Now Pay Later customers are struggling to pay day-to-day living expenses.
Ever thought about buying a property with a friend or family member? You’re not the only one. The rising cost of property and FOMO has led to more than a quarter of Australians considering buying a property with a ‘non-traditional’ partner.
The summer trading season poses a raft of tricky cashflow and stocking challenges for retailers at the best of times, let alone following a global pandemic slowdown. But if done well it can set your business up nicely for the good times ahead.
You’ve probably noticed that house prices in Australia consistently outstrip growth in wages. But by how much? And what can you do to make sure you’re not forever chasing the great Australian dream?
Whether you’re looking to buy, sell or hold, there’s a good chance you’ve wondered whether the property market will tumble when interest rates rise, right? Today we’ll look at what happened to house prices when interest rates were hiked in the past.
When you pay a supplier or service provider, are you certain you’re paying the right account? You’ve got to be super careful these days, as scammers are compromising inboxes and requesting payments to a new account. Here’s how to protect your business and its customers.
Open banking is here and it’s charging full steam ahead. So just how are lenders and fintechs using your shared data in this brave, new, data-fuelled world? A new report has shed some interesting insights.
Mortgage holders are facing a sooner-than-expected cash rate rise after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revised its outlook due to the economy bouncing back strongly from the Delta outbreak. So just how soon can we expect a rate rise?
More than half of Australian house hunters spend the same amount of time inspecting a property as they do watching an episode on Netflix, according to new research.
Are the days of ultra-low fixed interest rates over? It’s looking increasingly so, with two major banks increasing their fixed rates this week. So if you’ve been thinking about fixing your mortgage lately, it could be time to consider doing so.
We’ve all been guilty of the odd credit card mix-up from time to time – it happens! But if you’re consistently relying on a personal credit card to pay your business expenses – like 4-in-10 SME owners – then it’s probably time to explore other funding options.
Almost 33,000 Australians bought their first home four years sooner thanks to two federal government schemes that give first home buyers a leg up into the property market. Could you, or someone you know, be eligible?
While many SME owners worry about their access to finance, a surge of new lenders and products is rapidly expanding the options available. And brokers have an important role to play for businesses, says the Productivity Commission.
Some borrowers will soon find it harder to get a mortgage after the banking regulator announced tougher serviceability tests for home loans. So who will they impact most?
The federal treasurer has given the strongest indication yet that a home loan crackdown is coming, stating that “carefully targeted and timely adjustments” may be necessary to avoid troubled waters. So what could a potential lending crackdown look like?
Almost one-in-two SMEs have applied for new funding in the last six months, a new report has found, and of those SMEs only half were successful in obtaining the full amount they were seeking.
With house prices going gangbusters in the first half of 2021, is it still a good time to buy property? The majority of investors think so, according to the latest annual survey. And investors have their sights set on one city in particular.
