Do you use a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service like Afterpay or Zip? If so, be warned that one leading credit reporting agency has made a big change that means your BNPL data will go onto your credit report.
Drive or walk around your local suburb mid-morning on a Saturday and chances are you’ll pass a few freshly banged up ‘Auction’ signs. But is Saturday actually the best day to auction your home? New data suggests perhaps not.
As if Australian business owners hadn’t faced enough challenges this past year – now the dreaded annual insurance and workers compensation premiums will soon arrive in mailboxes. Here’s how to smooth ‘em all out (and get an early bird discount!).
One of the most exciting things about moving into your own home is doing whatever you want with it, such as growing your own veggie patch. But did you know more than a third of Aussie backyards are contaminated with lead? Here’s how to get your soil tested for free.
After 18 straight RBA cash rate cuts it can be easy to dismiss the notion that interest rates might rise again. But if the cash rate returned to mid-2019 levels, how much extra would an average new mortgage holder expect to pay each month? Let’s take a look.
If you’d like to buy your first home with just a 5% deposit and pay no lenders mortgage insurance (LMI), then you better act quick, as thousands of first home buyers are expected to rush to apply for the limited spots up for grabs.
Small business owners wanting to buy a vehicle, asset or important piece of equipment and immediately write off the cost only have a few days to act this financial year.
First home buyers can now purchase more expensive properties under the federal government’s hugely popular 5% deposit, no LMI scheme.
An increasing number of Australians are prioritising larger homes and bigger blocks in their house-hunting endeavours since the pandemic began. But where to look? Well, a new search tool helps you calculate which suburbs offer the best bang for your buck.
Australian businesses have shifted things up a gear this year, with new asset finance figures revealing a 187% rise in light commercial vehicle purchases since January.
Most of Australia may be a seller’s market right now, but there are still a few dozen suburbs around the country where there’s more housing stock available than in previous years. Today we’ll check out which 33 suburbs are still offering plenty of options for buyers.
With interest rates at record low levels, we’ve seen a big increase in homeowners wanting to refinance this year. So this week we’ll look at some of ASIC’s top tips for refinancing, plus some of our own for good measure.
Keen to buy a vehicle, asset or another vital piece of equipment for your business and immediately write off the cost? Well, you better get cracking, as we’re officially entering end-of-financial-year territory.
Australia’s biggest bank has hiked its three-year fixed rate for owner-occupiers in a further sign that “the tide is turning on interest rates”. So if you’ve been thinking about fixing your interest rate, it could be high time to do so.
While most Australians dream of owning their own home, the majority of hopeful homeowners admit they don’t fully understand how home loans or mortgage rates work. That’s why we make it our mission to enlighten you during your home buying journey.
Small businesses in dispute with the ATO over their tax debt will get “a fairer go” under new rules proposed in the federal budget. Meanwhile, one-year extensions have been granted for the full asset write-off and loss carry-back schemes. Let’s break it all down.
Single parents saving for a property and first home buyers are the big winners from this year’s federal budget. Today we’ll break down the three schemes that will help them crack the property market sooner.
While it might feel like property prices are skyrocketing out of reach, the majority of Australian homes are actually cheaper to buy than rent over the next decade, according to a new report.
Property prices climbed at a breathtaking pace in early 2021, which has been good news for homeowners and heartbreaking for house hunters. However, there are seven key signs that the pace of capital gains has peaked, says CoreLogic.
Businesses across the country are purchasing new equipment and vehicles in record numbers, as companies big and small embrace the strongest market conditions seen in years, according to NAB data.
Tens of thousands of HomeBuilder applicants around the nation can breathe a sigh of relief after the federal government extended the construction commencement requirement from six months to 18 months.
You open up the real estate app on your phone, scroll through a few listings, and then there it is: the home of your dreams, ‘added 1 hour ago’. So just how long do you typically have to act in this hot market?
The COVID-19 loan deferral program and credit reporting amnesty is now over, which means banks will report any late repayments on mortgage or small business loans to credit agencies unless you’ve entered into a hardship arrangement.
House prices could jump 17% in 2021 and mortgage rates are set to rise much sooner than expected, ANZ Bank has tipped.
The property market is going through a boom phase, which means housing affordability is getting tougher. So how much does the average Australian household need to put towards their monthly home loan repayments in the current market? Let’s take a look.
Floods, fire and pandemic – it’s been an incredibly tough 15 months for many Australian businesses. And with government support about to end, looking after your mental health will be just as important as taking care of your business’s financial health.
Thinking of building, buying a new home or renovating? The HomeBuilder scheme ends on March 31, which means you’ve got less than two weeks to take advantage of the $15,000 grant.
Who would take the reins of your family business if you had to take a step back from it? Turns out just one-in-six businesses have a proper plan in place. But rest assured you can develop your own succession plan fairly painlessly, with the help of a new guide.
Did you know more than a third of Australian homeowners are considering putting their property up for sale so they can take advantage of the current boom in prices? Here’s how to get your property looking spick and span for prospective buyers.
It’s official: Australia’s housing market is in the midst of a broad-based boom, with the national home value surging 2.1% higher in February; the largest month-on-month change since 2003.
Things are starting to look better for small business owners across the country with just 5% of deferred business loans yet to resume repayments. Meanwhile, there are signs that business credit demand is improving, especially when it comes to asset finance.
The first home buyer market had a bumper year in 2020 due to modest declines in property prices, reduced investor activity, and a range of government incentives. But with those advantages tailing off, how will first home buyers compete in 2021?
Australia’s housing market is on the “cusp of a boom”, with house prices set to leap 16% over the next two years, according to the Commonwealth Bank (CBA).
How well placed is your retail business when it comes to its digital transformation? Today we’ll look at some of the ways your competitors might be complementing their bricks and mortar stores with online empires.
Great news just in for first home buyers: the Australian government will reissue 1800 First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) spots from the 2019-20 financial year.
After a bumpy 2020, 2021 is already rewriting the record books. From property prices, to interest rates, to refinancing – no matter which way you look records are being broken. Today we’ll look at why property market sentiment is riding so high.
When coronavirus broke out across Australia, doomsday reports tipped the property market could fall as far as 30% across the country. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Here’s how to find out how your suburb actually fared.
If you’re worried about how to recover from the horror show that was 2020, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of Australian small to medium businesses feel the same way, research shows.
It’s the document that was never meant to see the light of day. But a Freedom of Information request reveals the Reserve Bank of Australia projects a 30% increase in house prices if interest rates remain low for the next few years.
While you were kicking your feet up over the festive season, did you flick open your phone and scroll through real estate listings in your dream location? If so, you might’ve noticed there were fewer properties listed for sale than usual. Here’s why.
Long gone are the days of Holden vs Ford. These days it’s all about the SUV vs the great Australian ute. So which vehicle type topped the list in 2020?
Whenever we think of New Year’s resolutions, the first thing that comes to mind is a health kick. But here are three (easy) New Year’s resolutions that’ll help improve your financial wellbeing in 2021.
Well, that was a year for the history books. Time to start looking forward, we reckon! And the good news is 2021 offers plenty of promise. So what’s your New Year’s resolution?
To all our wonderful clients: this has been a year like no other, so we can only hope that you’re treated to a relaxing time with family and friends this festive season.
Small businesses are receiving payments from clients a month late on average – that’s 18 days longer than last year. Make sure your business’s cash flow isn’t adversely impacted this holiday season.
How comfortable do you feel leaving your home unattended when you go on holidays? Turns out that those who know their neighbours best have more peace of mind.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but it’s important not to get carried away when using ‘buy now, pay later’ providers to fund that festive spirit. That’s because one-in-five users struggle to make their repayments, new research has found.
The finance industry has a bunch of acronyms and abbreviations that can make the home buying process a little confusing. But they’re not as difficult to understand as you might think. Take our short quiz to see how many you can answer!
Stamp duty: two of the most dreaded words in the world of property and finance. Fortunately, NSW and Victoria have unveiled some big changes to the inefficient tax this week, and there’s hope it’ll inspire other states to review their own stamp duty arrangements.
The festive season is fast approaching and this year, more than ever, it’s important for businesses to ensure they have their cash flow management in order. Here are our top 8 ideas to help you through the upcoming period.
First home buyers wanting to crack into the property market can now use an interactive map to see how much their neighbours spent on average for their first home.
We dream big in Australia. So it’s little surprise that when the Great Australian Dream becomes a reality it means bigger houses than anywhere else in the world, according to a new report.
Mortgage holders and business operators are being encouraged by the RBA to switch lenders if their bank doesn’t pass on the latest cash rate cut.
If you didn’t back a winner on Melbourne Cup Day then fret not: the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has delivered mortgage holders a win by cutting the official cash rate by 15 basis points to a new record low of 0.10%.
Great news for homeowners and prospective buyers: housing affordability is at its best level in a decade and should continue to improve throughout 2021.
Small business owners in need of credit will be buoyed by new data that shows the approval rate for loans has remained strong throughout the coronavirus crisis.
Consumer sentiment is surging, confidence in the housing market is booming, and the number of experts tipping a Melbourne Cup Day cash rate cut is increasing. Let’s look at why households and businesses are becoming increasingly optimistic.
Thousands of families across the country who had been thinking about a new build, or tackling an overdue renovation project, have rolled up their sleeves and committed to it, according to latest ABS data.
There was one big-ticket initiative in the federal budget that really caught our eye, and that was the turbocharged version of the instant asset write-off scheme. Today we’ll look at how it could improve your business’s cash flow moving forward.
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme is back; bigger, better and more buyer-friendly than before. If you’re a first home buyer who missed out on the first two rounds, then here’s how to make it a case of third time’s a charm!
You might have recently heard that ‘responsible lending laws’ are set to be scrapped early next year. Rest assured though that you’ll still be able to borrow responsibly. Let us explain how.
Like most sequels, JobKeeper 2.0 won’t be as big a blockbuster as the original. But that’s not to say it won’t help many SMEs navigate the difficult times ahead. Today we’ll cover what you need to know about making the transition for your business.
Strap yourself in: Australian house prices are tipped to experience a mild COVID-19 dip before surging 15% over the following two years, according to some of the nation’s top economists.
The majority of property investors are remaining upbeat despite COVID-19, with 67% believing now is a good time to invest in residential property, according to a new survey.
If you’ve deferred your home or business loan then it’s likely your bank will reach out to you in the coming weeks. Here’s what to expect and what options are available to you.
2020 hasn’t been an easy year for many Aussie households and businesses, which makes today an important one to check in on one another.
First home buyers are now breaking into the property market more than four years faster than they typically would thanks to a little-known government scheme. Today we’ll discuss how.
As if small and medium-sized businesses weren’t already facing an uphill battle this year; now it turns out that more than a quarter were knocked back when they applied for finance in recent months. Here’s how we can help.
Whether you’re looking for extra cash to purchase a property, or could do with a few thousand dollars to pay off your existing mortgage, the average Aussie household could make nearly $6,000 from selling their pre-loved items.
Home sellers across the country are lowering their price expectations in droves, new data reveals. But which two capital cities have seen the highest percentage of sellers discount their asking price?
