Stay away from Mortgage Stress Street

While buying a home is an exciting and pivotal time in your life, it can also be very stressful. Interest rate rises, the higher cost of living and unemployment all impact the level of mortgage stress that households may feel, pushing some borrowers off Struggle Street and into Mortgage Stress Street.

Are you paying the price for someone else's car accident?

When you are involved in an accident your no-claim bonus is affected as a result of your bad judgement or wrongdoing. But what happens when it's not your fault? RateCity looks into what happens to your no claim bonus for comprehensive car insurance.

Should property investors keep away from mortgage season?

Historically, spring is the busiest time for first home buyers with a rise in the number of applications for home loans, but is this the best time for investors to jump on the bandwagon? With rental prices on the rise it is a good time for investors to take advantage of the current market conditions.

Warning to first home buyers: Beware of appealing home loans

Financial institutions have regained confidence in borrowers, with lenders offering loans with very high loan-to-value ratios for the first time since the global financial crisis. As well as this loan, Mortgage House also has a 99 percent LVR mortgage that they launched in August. Westpac has also raised its LVR for new customers on some of its home loans by 5 percent to 92 percent.

Does your car insurer discriminate by your car colour?

RateCity's car insurance myth buster series reveals the truth about a range of common myths associated with car insurance. Most people believe that red cars go faster, white cars are easier to see and black have poor visibility, especially at night. But when it comes to insuring your car, does the colour of your car affect the price of your premium?

Get the best of both worlds and split your mortgage

There are rumours that the cash rate could increase towards the end of the year or early next year. If these rumours turn out to be true, the decision on whether borrowers should fix or not could be a little easier, that is if you choose to split your loan.

Borrowers warned to watch their mortgage rates

Last week, while the nation absorbed the news that Labor will remain in government, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced that the official cash rate would remain unchanged at 4.5 percent for the fourth consecutive month. However while this news is good for borrowers, mortgage holders, particularly first home buyers should be cautious of lenders increasing interest rates for home loans.

Sold! How to prepare for buying a home at auction

Buying a home at auction can not only be an exhilarating experience but it can also be a great way to nab yourself a property at a great price. Unlike other ways of buying property, buying at auction can offer other benefits, such as greater buying opportunities, an immediate result, a prepared mortgage, and unlike private sales you always know what the offers are.

First home buyers could benefit from a home loan package

If you are a first home buyer, considering one of the major lenders through to the smaller brands is one of the toughest choices you will make when choosing a home loan. So why do so many Australians shop with one of the major banks, namely ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac?

Try before you buy your dream home

Trying before you buy a home, with an extended period to rent gives you the added bonus of having extra time to get your finances sorted in time for a home loan. If you decide that this option is for you or if you want to purchase property the old-fashioned way and are in the market for a mortgage, compare home loans online before making any decisions.