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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.

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

What is an interest only home equity loan?

It’s possible to use any equity you’ve built up in your home to secure a loan or a line of credit to help pay for other household expenses. You may even be able to pay only the interest charged on these loans for a limited time, though you could risk paying more in total over the long run.

Home Loans

12 May, 2022

3 min read

What is an interest only home equity loan?
Jodie Humphries

Personal Finance Editor

What is the difference between a gift of equity and a gifted deposit?

A gifted deposit and a gift of equity are based on similar concepts, but different regulations govern them. See which one is best suited for which situations.

Home Loans

29 Apr, 2022

3 min read

What is the difference between a gift of equity and a gifted deposit?
Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

Who owns my bank or lender in Australia?

Did you know that even if you’ve chosen to become a customer of one of Australia’s alternative banks, you could still be banking with the big four? Learning more about which banks own other banks and lenders can help you get a more complete picture of Australia’s banking landscape, which could be helpful when making financial decisions.

Home Loans

28 Apr, 2022

2 min read

Who owns my bank or lender in Australia?
Jodie Humphries

Personal Finance Editor

How do I buy someone out of a house?

Buying your partner out of a joint mortgage can depend on whether you are joint tenants or tenants in common, and on whether you can afford the house on your own.

Home Loans

25 Apr, 2022

4 min read

How to Buy Somone Out of a House Mortgage - RateCity
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What is mortgage restructuring?

Mortgage restructuring can help you keep up with your mortgage in difficult times by changing the terms of your mortgage. But if you only want a lower interest rate, you may consider refinancing your home loan.

Home Loans

22 Apr, 2022

5 min read

What is mortgage restructuring?
Georgia Brown

Personal Finance Editor

How to find the best home loan for you

Choosing the right home loan is a serious decision. There are hundreds of lenders and thousands of products and options available.

Home Loans

21 Apr, 2022

4 min read

How to find the best home loan for you
Jodie Humphries

Personal Finance Editor

How can I get a home loan with no deposit and no guarantor?

Few lenders will offer you a home loan with no deposit and no guarantor, and you may have to pay Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) in such a case. Remember to check the loan conditions.

Home Loans

20 Apr, 2022

3 min read

How can I get a home loan with no deposit and no guarantor?
Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

How to borrow money in Australia

Borrowing money in Australia isn’t as easy as walking into a bank and walking back out with a big bag of cash. Whether you’re borrowing money to buy a home or for other purposes, you’ll need to fulfil certain eligibility criteria to see your loan application approved.

Home Loans

08 Apr, 2022

4 min read

How to borrow money in Australia
Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

How to understand your mortgage repayments

Whether you’re working out if you can afford a home loan, or if you already have a mortgage, it’s worth understanding exactly what goes into your mortgage repayments, so you can be confident that you’re getting value for money.

Home Loans

08 Apr, 2022

5 min read

How to understand your mortgage repayments
Jodie Humphries

Personal Finance Editor

What you should know before buying a property below market value

You may get lucky when buying a house and be able to make a favourable purchase, buying the property below market value. But how do lenders look at such deals? 

Home Loans

25 Mar, 2022

4 min read

What you should know before buying a property below market value
Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

Can you claim house renovations on tax?

For property investors, understanding what home repairs, maintenance or improvements are tax deductible is crucial come tax time. But it’s not uncommon for investors to make simple mistakes when determining what can or cannot be lodged as a deduction.

Home Loans

25 Mar, 2022

4 min read

Can you claim house renovations on tax? | RateCity
Georgia Brown

Personal Finance Editor

What does LVR mean?

LVR stands for loan-to-value ratio which is the ratio that tells you how much of the total purchase price you can actually borrow.

Home Loans

24 Mar, 2022

3 min read

What does LVR mean?