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Learn more about how to manage your personal finances with RateCity's home loan articles, including how-to-guides on comparing home loan interest rates, fees, features and other benefits.

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Mortgage talk made easy

Buying a new home is a trying time and the jargon bandied about by mortgage brokers, banks and real estate agents can add to the confusion. Whether you’re buying your first home or trading up or down, the process of finding the right home loan for your needs can be long and laborious.

Home Loans

09 Nov, 2009

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

To buy or not to buy, Clearance rates skyrocket

Is now the time to ride the property market clearance wave or wait till the tide turns? A sales splurge has swept the Australian mortgage market, with hundreds of properties clearing out every week.

Home Loans

09 Nov, 2009

3 min read

To buy or not to buy Clearance rates skyrocket

Kate Cowling

Overextending ourselves to get our dream home

We would like to believe that lenders have our best interest at heart, but where money is involved, there is only one person who knows what’s best for you – you! Mortgage stress is an overwhelming concern for a number of Australians as they financially over-extend themselves to get their dream home.

Home Loans

01 Nov, 2009

3 min read

Overextending ourselves to get our dream home

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Are coastal homes an affordable dream?

A fall in coastal property prices over the past year has created more opportunities for people thinking of a sea change. As people scrambled to snap up houses in metropolitan areas, competition on the coast has waned, but property research from RP Data suggests the tide will soon turn.

Home Loans

27 Oct, 2009

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Watch your credit habits, Tougher lending on the way

New credit and privacy laws could make it harder and more expensive to get a home loan so get your credit habits in order now. A new national scheme for regulating credit is to be phased in between now and July 2011.

Home Loans

27 Oct, 2009

3 min read

Watch your credit habits - Tougher lending on the way

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

What is the real cost of buying a property?

What exactly do you have to pay for when purchasing a home? Number one fee to hit your back pocket of course is stamp duty, followed by more upfront fees.

Home Loans

26 Oct, 2009

3 min read

What is the real cost of buying a property?

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Home alone: Can single income buyers afford a home?

Many young professionals on a single income have been pondering their chances of survival in the home buying game. But how affordable is it to step into the property market right now?

Home Loans

26 Oct, 2009

3 min read

Home alone Can single income buyers afford a home?

RateCity

Comparison home loan interest rates

The comparison rate will combine additional fees with the advertised interest rate and the create an average rate over the life of the loan. Comparison interest rates give you a more realistic interest rate and allow you to budget your expenses and repayments much more effectively.

Home Loans

25 Oct, 2009

1 min read

RateCity

Home loan applications

When you fill out a home loan application, you need to make sure all the details are not only filled out correctly but supply the lender with as much information as possible.

Home Loans

22 Oct, 2009

1 min read

RateCity

Super Saturday for record auctions

Saturday, September 26, 2009 was named as Super Saturday because of the record number of properties that were auctioned and sold in Sydney, according to RP Data

Home Loans

22 Oct, 2009

1 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Fixed last year? Switch now and pocket $720 a month

Many Australians can save $720 a month by switching from last year’s high fixed rates to a variable home loan. Australian mortgagees may be panicking in light of the interest rate rise announced on October 6. RateCity has shown that borrowers, who locked in to a high fixed rate last year, may now have a window of opportunity to save money on their home loans, if they switch to a variable rate now.

Home Loans

16 Oct, 2009

3 min read

Fixed last year? Switch now and pocket $720 a month

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Are you wasting $2,700 on home loan fees?

Interest may be the key expense of a mortgage but it pays to be mindful of ongoing fees that can significantly boost the overall cost of a loan. A review of more than 2,000 Australian home loans by RateCity has revealed that almost a third (29 percent) of loans come with ongoing fees, ranging from $3 per month to a hefty $35 each month.

Home Loans

16 Oct, 2009

3 min read