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The Reserve Bank recently increased official interest rates by 0.25 percentage points and has signalled more rate rises are on the way. But don’t panic. Instead, fight back.How? By refinancing to a comparable home loan with a lower interest rate.I work with a large panel of lenders, many of which are offering special deals to people who refinance, so there's a good chance I can help you switch to a lower-rate loan. That will help offset any future rate rises. When you refinance, you'll have to go through the same qualification process you experienced when you took out your current home loan.So look for ways to reduce your expenses and increase your savings rate.Consider lowering your credit card limit, as a higher limit will reduce your borrowing capacity, even if you pay off your entire credit card debt each month.Maintain or even increase your credit score by paying all your bills on time, and, possibly, closing out any personal or car loans you might have.Want to compare interest rates? Let's talk. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about Why now is a good time to think about refinancing

A mortgage broker is a person who wears several hats during the financial planning process, to the point where the best of them become trusted advisors to families. The difficulty that might occasionally develop is that lines can become blurred, and clients will seek financial advice from a broker. In this article, I'd like to discuss what kind of advice a mortgage broker may and cannot provide. Please keep in mind that this is a blog and not a piece of advice. Because everyone's circumstances are unique, it's better to get expert assistance if you need particular counsel. Depending on what you require, who that may be may vary. As a mortgage broker goes about his or her various responsibilities for a customer, he or she becomes further entangled with your family's finances and situations. Clients will begin to feel at ease with the broker and will frequently inquire about investment or tax advice, as well as business formations and the like. While the finest mortgage brokers in Sydney will have a decent notion of what works well based on their experience with previous clients, they are not permitted to provide advice on the subject and should never do so. It is illegal and can lead to a conflict of interest. Mortgage brokers can help you structure your debt in a way that meets your current requirements. They can also provide guidance on the loan procedure and which products or lenders are most likely to be successful. One of the most valuable abilities that mortgage brokers bring to the table is the ability to advise on ways to save money and interest along the process. A mortgage broker cannot advise you on how to invest your money or manage your household income in order to achieve financial success. We are unable to provide advice on superannuation or insurance. A financial planner's knowledge would be required for all of this. A mortgage broker is unable to advise you on any tax-related issues or how to effectively arrange your business or personal structure for tax efficiency. You should hire a trained accountant for this. Financial advisors can assist with financial planning: Financial planners use a long-term approach. They assist with the selection of investment and insurance choices. Special emphasis is frequently paid to retirement advice and estate preparation. Aside from that, there's investment analysis. Retirement and life insurance are also taken into consideration. Other types of asset protection insurance are also available. A financial adviser helps people with their investments, taxes, and retirement planning. Additionally, college savings accounts and real estate are available. Insurance and mortgages are also included. Mortgage brokers handle home loans: A mortgage broker is a broker who acts as a middleman between the borrower and the lender. He or she is in charge of bringing mortgage borrowers and lenders together. He or she connects borrowers with lenders. He or she ensures that the lender is the ideal match. This is … [Read more...] about Can Mortgage Brokers Give Financial Advice?

The big four banks have forecast that the Reserve Bank will begin lifting official interest rates from June. If and when that happens, lenders will almost certainly increase their home loan rates.That would be annoying if you're about to start looking for a property and you're planning to get a fixed-rate loan, because it's possible fixed rates will rise between when you get your pre-approval and when you formally apply for your home loan.In that case, you'd have to accept the higher interest rate – unless you’d taken out a 'rate lock', which is when a bank promises to give you the lower initial interest rate, in return for a fee.Rate locks, like all insurance policies, are priced so that the provider (i.e. the bank) finishes ahead. So, for the average borrower, the cost of the rate lock is likely to be higher than the savings it provides. But a rate lock can still be valuable by providing peace of mind.I can model different interest rate scenarios for you, to help you decide if a rate lock is suitable for you.Contact me for expert loan advice. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about A rate lock can protect you from forecast rate rises

Most mortgage holders will be able to cope if and when interest rates start rising.That’s one of the findings from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) latest half-yearly Financial Stability Review.Between February 2020 and February 2022, many borrowers built up big repayment buffers, by paying extra money into their offset and redraw accounts. During those two years, the median buffer for owner-occupiers with a variable-rate loan increased from about 10 months of repayments to about 21 months.“The increase in payment buffers partly reflects the impact of lower interest rates on minimum repayments,” according to the RBA.“If interest rates were to increase by 200 basis points (i.e. 2 percentage points), current excess payments would be equivalent to just under 19 months of scheduled payments.”In further good news, the share of loans in negative equity (i.e. where the loan exceeds the value of the property) has also significantly improved during the two-year period, falling from 2.25% to less than 0.25%.Want to compare interest rates? Let's talk. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about Median repayment buffers double from 10 to 21 months

National residential construction costs increased 9.0% over the 12 months to March 2022, according to CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index.That was the highest annual growth rate on record apart from the introduction of the GST in 2001, and means Australians are having to pay more money to build or buy new homes.It's hard to know whether the growth in construction costs is trending up or down: costs rose 2.4% in the first quarter of 2022, which was significantly higher than the previous quarter (1.1%) but lower than the quarter before that (3.8%).“Timber costs continue to rise, with cladding, decking and other timber items affected,” according to CoreLogic construction cost estimation manager John Bennett.“Steep rises in metal prices are also now flowing through to the market, with structural steel, fixings and metal components hit hard.“We continued to see volatility in the rest of the market, with imported products the most vulnerable due to elevated shipping costs. Rising fuel costs are also on the radar and we have continued to see further increases in the cost of other materials."I can help you get a construction loanI can help you get a construction loan. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about Supply chain issues trigger sharp rise in homebuilding costs

The federal government has expanded its support to first home buyers and single parents and has also released a new program for regional buyers.The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and New Home Guarantee, which currently support a combined 20,000 first home buyers per financial year, will now support 35,000 per year from July 1. The price caps for these programs, which differ from area to area, will also be increased, by anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000. Under these programs, eligible first home buyers can purchase properties with just a 5% deposit, without needing to pay lender's mortgage insurance.The Family Home Guarantee, which currently supports 10,000 single parents over four years, will now support 5,000 per year from July 1. Under this program, single parents can buy properties with just a 2% deposit.The new Regional Home Guarantee will help 10,000 people per financial year (starting October 1) to buy a property in a regional area with just a 5% deposit. This program is open to first home buyers, people who have not owned a home for at least five years and permanent residents.Get in touch if you need a home loan. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about More buyers now eligible for federal housing incentives

Is 2022 going to be the year you start investing in property? Maybe you've already started building your portfolio and are looking to take your investments to the next level? It's vital that you realise the property and investment loan environment, no matter where you are in your path, so you can make the best decision. This year appears to be a good year to invest in real estate. Continue reading to learn more about why this is the case and how to plan for 2022. Prices are rapidly increasing: A real estate investment in property is just that: an investment. With this in mind, market swings must be considered while making an investment decision. The Australian property market is now through a period of tremendous expansion, with property values increasing at an alarming rate. Property prices in Australia increased by 20.6 percent between November 2020 and November 2021. When we look at Australia's residential property market in isolation, we can observe that prices have risen by 22.2 percent in the year leading up to November 2021, which is much over the national average. This amounts to an increase of $126,700 over the previous year's median values. While November 2021 witnessed just a 1.3 percent increase, the lowest in the previous ten months, the forecast remains basically unchanged. In other words, housing prices are likely to continue rising through 2022, even if the rate of rising slows slightly. So, what does this imply for financial investors? It suggests that homes acquired now are likely to appreciate in value over time, resulting in a high return on investment when they are sold. Delaying a home purchase might also result in purchasers paying extra for the identical property in the future. The Rental Market Is In Good Shape:  Purchasing a rental property is a popular investment option in Australia, and for good reason. The property's rental income can be used to help pay down the mortgage or home loan, as well as other obligations. Renting out a house may help you create income and increase your return on investment if you promote it appropriately. The rental market is now robust, making 2022 an excellent time to buy this type of property. According to a survey from 2021, rental rates increased by 7.4% in 2021, the greatest pace of rising in well over a decade. Almost half of the gain occurred in the fourth quarter of 2021, indicating that the rental market is still booming. Interest Rates on Mortgages Remain Low: For a long time, home loan and mortgage interest rates have been at all-time lows, making 2022 an excellent year to buy a home. There is a sense of urgency here: the Reserve Bank of Australia has stated that interest rates would likely rise before 2024, with some anticipating that these increases will begin within the next year. By the end of 2022, interest rates are predicted to have risen to 1%, and by the end of 2023, they will have risen to 1.75 percent. A piece of great advice for buying an investment in property … [Read more...] about Why 2022 Is The Right Time To Invest In Property

Mortgage brokers were responsible for 66.5% of all new home loans in the December quarter, according to the latest data from research group Comparator.That is not only a record for a December quarter, it's also a significant increase on the market share brokers recorded in December 2020 (59.4%) and December 2019 (55.3%). Mike Felton, the CEO of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia, said the strong increase in mortgage broker market share shows that consumers really value the service, competition and choice that brokers provide.When you visit a bank for home loan advice, the bank will only tell you about its own products, even if it knows another lender is offering a better home loan.But when you visit a broker, the broker will compare interest rates, loan features and borrowing criteria from a range of lenders. The broker will also negotiate with lenders on your behalf. That significantly increases your chances of getting a great loan that’s tailored to your unique circumstances.Want to compare interest rates? Let's talk. Hit the button below to arrange a conversation with one of my loan specialists to find a deal that's best for your situation. Book a review today We partner with over 50 lenders so you can find the perfect solutionFollow Facebook Linkedin Do you have questions about mortgages or loans?Ask us in the comments below … [Read more...] about More and more Australians choosing brokers over banks