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.

Why is it important to have landlord home insurance?

After purchasing your property, you’ve decided to rent it out and use it as an investment. But what happens if your tenant stops paying rent, or damages your property? Is there any way to protect your investment?

How to get a car loan and increase your chances of being approved

Applying for a car loan can sometimes be more overwhelming than buying the car itself, with all the research and paperwork involved. And even once you’re ready to apply for a car loan, there’s no guarantee that your application for car finance will be approved.

House prices bounce back - what does this mean for first home buyers?

Australia’s housing market may be recovering from its recent downturns, thanks to rising home values and more housing stock. Higher house prices could prove challenging for some first home buyers to overcome, though it’s possible the recovery could stall later in the year.

How do you file a home insurance claim for flooding?

Natural disasters are a fact of life in Australia, though they still take many of us by surprise. If you’ve been affected by storms and flooding, you’ll want to quickly find out what’s covered by your insurance so you can make a claim.

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.

Rates on hold: What can I expect when my fixed rate period ends?

With home loan interest rates rising thanks to cash rate hikes from the RBA, mortgage holders sitting on fixed rates may be breathing a sigh of relief. But there’s a chance that there could be a sting in the tail at the end of each fixed rate term, which borrowers may need to watch out and prepare for.

Some of the top-rated home loans in September 2023

Just because the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept the national cash rate on hold at 4.10% for the third meeting in a row, that’s no reason for Australian home buyers to get complacent.  Major banks and mortgage lenders have still been raising their interest rates out of cycle from the RBA, making it important to also consider comparing offers from their smaller competitors. 

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.