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Home Loans Articles
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.
Georgia Brown
Personal Finance Editor
What are the types of property valuation reports?
If you’re in the process of buying a new home, you might be interested to learn that there are a number of different types of property valuations that can be used in different circumstances.
Home Loans
16 Nov, 2022
4 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
Investing in serviced apartments
Buying an investment property can let you benefit from both rental yields and capital growth, though there’s always a risk that there could be periods where your property fails to attract tenants. Investing in serviced apartments could potentially help to offset this risk, as someone else will be managing the tenants for you, though there are other complications to consider.
Home Loans
10 Nov, 2022
4 min read
Alex Ritchie
Personal Finance Editor
Will I have to pay Lenders' Mortgage Insurance twice if I refinance?
If you’re considering refinancing, chances are you’re crunching the numbers on the cost of switching. When it comes to LMI, if your LVR is above 80%, you will need to pay it again.
Home Loans
28 Oct, 2022
4 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
What is a specialist lender?
Specialist lenders, also known as non-conforming lenders, are lenders that offer mortgages to ‘non-vanilla’ borrowers who struggle to get finance at mainstream banks. This may include borrowers who are self-employed, in casual employment or new to Australia, as well as borrowers with bad credit.
Home Loans
20 Oct, 2022
2 min read
Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
Can workers' compensation be used to qualify for a mortgage?
Explore how worker's compensation can help you qualify for a mortgage.
Home Loans
19 Oct, 2022
3 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
Everything you need to know about a Lenders Mortgage Insurance refund
You may get an LMI refund if you repay your home loan within 12 to 24 months, provided you fulfil the other eligibility criteria. In some cases, you can get a refund of up to 50 per cent of your LMI fee.
Home Loans
18 Oct, 2022
3 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
What is a drawdown?
Transferring money from a lending institution to a borrower is also known as “drawing down”. In a typical home loan, the funds are drawn down all at once to buy the property. In a construction loan, the money is drawn down in several stages to pay the builders as they progress through each phase of the project. In a line of credit loan, you can draw down money, up to a limit, based on your loan’s available equity.
Home Loans
14 Oct, 2022
3 min read
Peter Terlato
Personal Finance Editor
Can you get a home loan if you owe taxes?
During the mortgage approval process, lenders gather information that may uncover tax debts. If you owe money to the ATO, there are lenders that may be willing to approve your home loan application.
Home Loans
14 Oct, 2022
5 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
Can you borrow extra on your mortgage for furniture?
It may be possible to borrow extra money on your home loan to help pay for furniture. However, this could mean paying more interest on your mortgage, potentially blowing out the cost of furnishing your home.
Home Loans
13 Oct, 2022
4 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
Can I change jobs while I am applying for a home loan?
Many lenders require you to be in a permanent job with the same employer for at least six months before applying for a home loan. If your work situation changes for any reason while you’re applying for a mortgage, this could reduce your application’s chances of approval. But contacting the lender as soon as you know your employment situation is changing may allow you to come to an agreement.
Home Loans
12 Oct, 2022
4 min read
Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
Is home equity release the right option for you?
Home equity release loans can help you access some of the money you’ve paid into your home without taking on additional debt.
Home Loans
22 Sep, 2022
7 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
Mortgage protection insurance vs life insurance
Have you planned what will happen to your mortgage and other financial responsibilities after you die? Mortgage protection and life insurance are two options that can help.
Home Loans
19 Sep, 2022
3 min read
Trending articles
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
14 Mar, 2025
Fixed vs variable rates: which is better, and can you have both?
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
13 Mar, 2025
How to lower your mortgage repayments
Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
28 Feb, 2025
What is a non-conforming home loan?
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