DIY super making money for the wealthy, leading to losses for battlers

Australians wanting to take a “do it yourself” approach to their superannuation may be better served by a self-managed super fund (SMSF) if they already have healthy retirement savings available, while those with smaller super balances may not get the best returns from a SMSF, according to a new report.

Home buyers overlooking property problems

Nearly one in four Australian home buyers has experienced buyer’s remorse after purchasing their property, with a significant percentage overlooking potentially expensive issues when inspecting their property, according to new research from ME Bank.

Bank super returns lag behind not-for-profit funds

If your superannuation is held by a bank-owned fund, the value of your retirement savings may not have grown at the same rate as a not-for-profit fund, according to new data.

Is your home loan in one of Australia's top performing suburbs?

If you have a mortgage in Cockatoo, Victoria, your investment may be performing well, according to CoreLogic. The town in the Dandenong Ranges has topped the new CoreLogic Top Performing Suburbs Report, based on its consistent capital growth, and leads a strong contingent of Victorian towns and suburbs.

First home buyers taking the place of property investors

The investors abandoning the Australian housing market are being replaced by first home buyers, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA).

Could interest rate rises put Australia's economy in mortgage stress?

The risk that household debt and mortgage stress represents to Australia’s wider financial stability may be smaller than expected, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), though a percentage of owner occupiers and investors could be impacted by changes to economic conditions, with the risk to investors expected to increase over the coming years.

Cheaper car loans fail to offset rising transport costs

Australia’s transport costs were up over the 2017 December quarter, with rises to the cost of fuel, tolls and insurance outpacing falls in the cost of car loans, servicing and registration, according to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA).

Will South Australia stay strong through 2018?

South Australia’s property market experienced a strong finish to 2017, according to new figures from the Real Estate Institute of South Australia (REISA), though housing affordability remains an important issue.

Set financial goals and talk them through, says NAB

If you struggle to achieve your financial goals, maybe you should try discussing them with the person who knows you best – yourself. According to a new study from National Australia Bank (NAB), Australians that talk to themselves about their financial goals are 29% more likely to achieve them than those who don’t.

Counting the cost of overseas fees in 2017

Australian travellers lost $442 million in overseas bank fees and charge over 2017, according to new research from ING. At the individual level, this breaks down to paying $155 per person, per trip, for the convenience of accessing their finances internationally.