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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.
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
What is home loan serviceability?
Home loan serviceability refers to your ability to repay a loan, and affects the amount you may be able to borrow from a lender.
Home Loans
19 Jan, 2022
5 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
How can I pay off my parents' mortgage?
If your parents are struggling to repay the mortgage on their house, you could step in to ease the burden by paying on their behalf or assuming the title to the property and refinancing it.
Home Loans
19 Jan, 2022
3 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
Is it possible to borrow money from family for a mortgage?
If you’re struggling to put together a deposit worth thousands of dollars for a home loan, a family member could help by contributing a portion of the deposit. For instance, it’s not uncommon for parents to help their children get on the property ladder by giving them a lump sum amount to meet the minimum deposit criteria for a home loan. There are several other ways in which you can borrow money from your family for a mortgage.
Home Loans
11 Jan, 2022
5 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
What are the advantages and disadvantages of paying off your mortgage?
You’re probably looking forward to the day when you no longer need to repay your mortgage. While you could pay it off early, you should also consider the pros and cons of paying off a mortgage.
Home Loans
20 Dec, 2021
3 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
Calculating the market value of a property
When you’re buying, selling or refinancing, it’s handy to know how to calculate the market value of a property. Getting an estimate will help with the next steps.
Home Loans
16 Dec, 2021
4 min read
Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
What is the difference between joint tenants and tenants in common?
Increasing property prices have made it even more challenging to buy a house. To get around this hurdle, some friends or relatives are choosing to buy a house together by pooling their resources and taking out a joint mortgage.
Home Loans
13 Dec, 2021
4 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
What you should know about borrowing money on your mortgage
If you’re looking to borrow additional money on your mortgage, you must consider a few things before applying for a top-up loan.
Home Loans
13 Sep, 2021
3 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
Can you deposit cash in your home loan account?
Many banks and other mortgage lenders will let you make extra repayments onto a home loan. Depositing your extra cash into your mortgage like this can help to lower your loan principal, reducing your interest charges and bringing you closer to exiting the loan early. However, it’s not always easy to take this cash back out of your mortgage again in a hurry, unless your home loan has a redraw facility.
Home Loans
06 Aug, 2021
4 min read
Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
Do I need multiple mortgage pre-approvals?
Getting pre-approved for a mortgage can help narrow down your property search considerably, as you’ll have a firm budget in mind while you go house hunting. Additionally, being pre-approved for a mortgage puts you in a better position to negotiate a price at an auction.
Home Loans
30 Jul, 2021
4 min read
Jodie Humphries
Personal Finance Editor
What are commercial mortgage rates?
If you need funds for your business and own a property that you can offer as security, you may be able to take out a commercial mortgage. Find out what commercial mortgage rates you may be offered.
Home Loans
29 Jul, 2021
3 min read
Alex Ritchie
Personal Finance Editor
Can I get a mortgage five times my salary?
Depending on your income, expenses, and the property you want to buy, you may be able to get a mortgage one, five, or even ten times your salary. But just because you have a high income, it doesn’t mean you’ll be approved for a loan.
Home Loans
29 Jul, 2021
4 min read
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
What to do if the house valuation is less than your offer
Getting a home loan preapproval doesn’t mean your mortgage is automatically guaranteed. Many lenders preapprove home loan applications on the condition that the value of the property being bought is enough to secure the loan. If the lender’s valuation comes back short of the price you’ve offered to pay, you could be left in a difficult financial position, though there are steps you can take to try and recover.
Home Loans
26 Jul, 2021
5 min read
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Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
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Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
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Vidhu Bajaj
Personal Finance Writer
28 Feb, 2025
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