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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.

Patricia Babalis

Falling rates set to drive up house prices

While lower interest rates can make buying your first home – or next, bigger home – more affordable thanks to lower repayments, they can also drive up property prices by tempting more people into the market.

Home Loans

22 Jul, 2013

3 min read

Falling rates set to drive up house prices

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Going green could add value to your home

With electricity prices expected to soar in Australia over the coming years, improving your property value is just one more motivation to take up eco renovating.

Home Loans

19 Jul, 2013

3 min read

Going green could add value to your home

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Five ways to save money this winter

There are a few clever ways to cut costs of keeping cosy and potentially add value to your home.

Home Loans

14 Jul, 2013

4 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Why winter is the best time to buy

The number of homes for sale can plummet by 20 percent, and much more in some cases, during the colder months of winter, research shows.

Home Loans

10 Jul, 2013

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Cautious Aussies remain sensible with cash

With the 2013/14 financial year beginning today many Australians will start to prepare their tax returns in the coming weeks and about three in five people will either use their refund to pay off debts or will save it, research found.

Home Loans

01 Jul, 2013

3 min read

Cautious Aussies remain sensible with cash

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

World's worst home renovation disasters

Television home makeover programs make it look so easy. Some minor modifications and your home will be irresistible to buyers and worth thousands of dollars more. That’s the theory, but in reality there is often not a lot of money to be made out of renovating.

Home Loans

25 Jun, 2013

4 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

How to reduce risk when buying an investment property

Low interest rates and strong rental prices in metro areas means becoming an investor is an increasingly attractive option for many Australians. But it can be risky business, unless you do you research.

Home Loans

23 Jun, 2013

4 min read

How to reduce risk when buying an investment property

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Don't let your mortgage limit your life

To avoid mortgage stress – and maintain your pre-mortgage lifestyle – the key is to ensure you don’t overextend yourself with a huge loan.

Home Loans

19 Jun, 2013

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Renovate or sell? The big question

Need more space at home or something a bit nicer? Here are some tips from the experts to help you decide between the options.

Home Loans

18 Jun, 2013

4 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Top mistakes property investors make

Low interest rates and strong rental yields have provided the impetus for many Australians to try their hand at property investing.

Home Loans

16 Jun, 2013

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Lenders favour borrowers who take on more debt

A RateCity analysis of mortgage rates has revealed that the average advertised rate for variable home loans under $250,000 is 5.74 percent. For loans above $750,000, however, the average advertised rate drops to 5.32 percent – an automatic discount of 0.42 percentage points.

Home Loans

29 May, 2013

4 min read

Lenders favour borrowers who take on more debt

Laine Gordon

Head of Public Relations

Renovate or sell?

The time comes in the life of many young families when they outgrow their home. That’s when the inevitable question rears its head: embark on a radical renovation or sell up and buy a new, more spacious home?

Home Loans

28 May, 2013

4 min read