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Monthly data from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) indicate that Australia Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)’s policies are taking effect. What are APRA’s policies? APRA implemented policies in 2017 to slow investor lending, in an attempt to address housing affordability. Policies require lenders to limit investor credit growth by 10 per cent per year. Interest only […]
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As we cheer our nation’s top athletes to the finish line during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, we thought it’s a good time to look at your mortgage game plan. Here are some tips for playing for gold, and getting the most out of your mortgage experience. Put in the hours Just as our […]
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The Grattan Institute report, released earlier in March, found that Australian house prices have more than doubled in the last 20 years. The rise has been particularly sharp in the last six years, with house prices increasing 50 per cent in Melbourne and around 70 per cent in Sydney since 2012. So, what caused this […]
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So, you’ve decided to buy a house. Choosing between polished floors and carpet is one thing. Getting your head around the logistics of financing your house is a whole other ball game. To give you a head start, we’ll take you through some key mortgage terms. Mortgage Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is […]
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How do the words ‘financial planning’ make you feel? What about ‘mortgage’? Or ‘superannuation’? Believe it or not, a staggering 52 per cent of Australian women find dealing with finances stressful, and around 2 per cent of women have no savings for retirement. Australian women face unique financial challenges. By retirement, women have less superannuation […]
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High energy prices are often in the news, which is no surprise given Australians pay the highest energy prices in the world. That, combined with increased energy consumption, means a bulk of your household expenses go towards energy bills. Much of the cost of energy is to do with maintenance of network connections, like poles […]
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Watching The Block’s Elyse and Josh sell the property they renovated for $450,000 over the reserve price last year, makes doing up property to sell for profit an attractive option. Flipping property, though, can be a risky and expensive business. It’s no wonder, then, that CoreLogic’s recent report found that only 1.3 per cent of […]
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Dreaming of owning your own home? With house prices as they are, saving for your first home deposit can feel daunting. But the good news is, it’s possible. Here are some practical tips for breaking into the property market, and making your dream a reality. 1. Define your goal While you can dream big, and […]
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It is the Aussie dream to own your own home. But in the last 15 years, housing affordability has made it tricky for some. The average cost of owning a property is now 7.2 per cent of the average income. Fifteen years ago, it was only 4.2 per cent. While incomes have also increased in […]
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The shops are full of hearts and roses, and restaurants are booking up. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we’ve got our rosy glasses on, because this is the month of love. Between booking restaurants and ordering flowers to woo your dream date, you might also be surfing real estate sites, looking for […]
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Running his own successful IT project management business while growing his investment property portfolio means Matt Richardson...
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It was Christmas Eve 2015 and Elly Marie and her husband Nic were busy with their new baby and planning their upcoming wedding in...
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Borrowing money can get awfully complicated and that’s where having the right mortgage broker made all the difference for...
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