What is mortgage insurance?

The idea of mortgage insurance is a fairly simple one – if circumstances mean a borrower can’t afford their mortgage repayments, an insurance policy can be used to help cover the costs.

The right and wrong reasons to set up an SMSF

Thinking of setting up a self-managed super fund (SMSF)? You may be doing it for the wrong reasons, according to the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

Bankwest cuts mortgage rates by up to 45 basis points

Bankwest has announced cuts to its variable interest rates for new investor home loans as well as cuts to fixed rates for owner occupier mortgages.

Petrol prices hit four-year high

Average petrol prices in Australia’s largest cities are the highest in four years, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), who are encouraging motorists to use comparison websites and apps to find the cheapest deals.

Coles and NAB launch new premium credit card specials

Big banks and supermarkets are introducing special offers for premium credit card customers, ranging from travel rewards to cashback on purchases.

Investor mortgage demand falls as housing returns decline

Investment mortgage holders may not be having a great time, with a new report from CoreLogic showing a rapid reduction in overall returns from Australian housing over the past 12 months.

Can the new Code of Practice restore the reputation of the Banks?

Aussies everywhere, unless they are in the minority of mattress money hoarders, will likely be happy to know about the initiation of a new banking Code of Practice, approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Tuesday this week.

New South Wales loses top economic spot to Victoria

For the first time since 2014, New South Wales is not in the top spot of CommSec’s State of the States report, having been nudged out by Victoria.

Victoria dominates top performing suburbs report

Investors in Victoria may welcome the news that their state is home to most of Australia’s top-performing suburbs in terms of consistent median value growth, according to a recent CoreLogic report.

Three-year minimum expiry proposed for gift cards

Losing money on gift cards with surprise expiry dates or hidden fees may become a thing of the past, with the government considering reforms to national legislation.