What is a mortgage registration fee?

When you buy or refinance a property, there are some extra costs to budget for. As well as covering your lender’s upfront fees, there are government charges to consider, such as the mortgage registration fee, which covers the cost of adding the mortgage on your home to the land titles office in your state or territory.

How to make an offer on a house

Once you’ve been preapproved for a home loan, you can start house-hunting with confidence, knowing your finances are ready. Once you find a property that suits your needs and your budget, you can take the next step and make an offer. But what is the exact process of making an offer on a house, unit, or investment property? 

Is it good to apply for a personal loan online?

Personal loans are available from retail banks and mutual banks, but also from specialised online-only lenders. Because these lenders often have lower ongoing costs, they may be able to offer more competitive personal loans than their big bank rivals. It’s still essential to compare personal loans before you apply, to make sure you’re making the best choice to suit your needs.

How to improve your chances of getting approved for a home loan

Unfortunately, many home loan applications are rejected for avoidable reasons, such as  unusually high living expenses, or providing incorrect documentation. Understanding what may lead to your home loan application’s rejection may help you to increase your home loan’s approval chances.

How much does it cost to break a fixed mortgage?

Choosing to refinance or repay a home loan during its fixed rate period often means the lender will charge you a break fee. The cost of this fee will vary based on how long is left on your fixed rate term and how much interest rates have changed since you applied for the loan. With break costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars in some cases, they may affect the overall value of your refinance.

Which banks are scrapping their cashback offers? And who is still offering them?

When mortgage interest rates are rising, many borrowers look for alternative ways to get value for money from their home loan. Cashback deals are one way that many mortgage lenders compete for customers in a rising rate environment, but record refinancing activity is leading some leading banks to pull their cashback offers.

Can I add someone to my home loan?

A joint application is one of the simplest and most common methods for two people to end up with their names on a mortgage. But adding a second person to a mortgage that’s already in place can be more complex, and will likely require refinancing.

What is the difference between comprehensive and third-party car insurance?

When looking for car insurance, the two main factors you may consider are how much coverage you want, and how much different coverage options may cost. Compulsory third-party insurance (CTP) is a legal requirement when registering your car, but any cover beyond that is optional. This means you may only buy the cover you can afford, rather than the cover you need.

Checklist of documents needed for a home loan application

Once you’ve decided to apply for a home loan, the first step is to start gathering the necessary documents for the application process. While the exact disclosures required can differ from lender to lender, there are specific documents that are usually mandatory to supply while applying for a mortgage. Even if your lender requires additional documents, preparing the basics beforehand could save you considerable time.

Is there a cost to refinance your home loan (and how much could you save)?

Refinancing a home loan typically costs some money in fees and charges from your old and new mortgage lenders. However, there may be ways to reduce or offset these costs, and the potential savings from switching could see you break even sooner than you expect.