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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.

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

How to take out a home loan

There are three ways to take out a mortgage for your property purchase; you can use a mortgage broker, you can go direct-to-lender or you can use a comparison website, like RateCity.

Home Loans

12 Jul, 2023

6 min read

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

10 questions to ask your mortgage broker

How do you separate the good from the bad brokers? To make the process easier, here are 10 questions to ask while you’re shopping around for brokers and then deciding which home loan to select.

Home Loans

07 Jul, 2023

6 min read

10 questions to ask your mortgage broker

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

Is it possible to refinance with late mortgage payments?

There may be some specialist lenders who will accept your refinance even if you have late payments. While not every lender will accept you - particularly if your credit score has fallen - it is worth comparing your options.

Home Loans

03 Jul, 2023

5 min read

Is it possible to refinance with late mortgage payments?

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

How long do banks keep mortgage records?

While you’re a customer of a bank or mortgage lender, they should keep records of your home loan, including interest rates and charges, repayments and much more. You should be able to request access to these records if required, though there may be a maximum time limit for how far back you can go.

Home Loans

03 Jul, 2023

3 min read

How long do banks keep mortgage records?

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

How much does it cost to refinance?

If you are weighing up the pros and cons of refinancing, you will need to consider the costs involved in the process.

Home Loans

03 Jul, 2023

4 min read

Peter Terlato

Personal Finance Editor

What to know when applying for a home loan while pregnant

Preparing for a baby is stressful enough without throwing a home loan into the mix. But being armed with the right information about applying for a home loan while on maternity leave may help.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2023

5 min read

What to know when applying for a home loan while pregnant

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

Who pays the mortgage when separated?

Separation is never easy, and the financial questions may be the last thing on your mind. However, bills and mortgage payments will continue, which leads to the question: Who pays the mortgage when you’re separated?

Home Loans

29 Jun, 2023

5 min read

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

Refinancing a home loan with bad credit

Managing your finances is rarely easy, but this can prove especially challenging if you’ve had problems with bad credit in the past. Whether you’re doing it tough due to circumstances beyond your control, or you’re trying to make up for money mistakes you’ve made in the past, a bad credit score can cast a long shadow over your future financial dealings, including refinancing a home loan.

Home Loans

28 Jun, 2023

7 min read

Peter Terlato

Personal Finance Editor

Can you get a home loan with no fees?

There are lenders that offer home loans with no upfront or ongoing fees. However, to be eligible for a no fee home loan you may have to meet certain requirements and could still incur fees if you break the terms of the mortgage contract.

Home Loans

27 Jun, 2023

9 min read

Peter Terlato

Personal Finance Editor

What do mortgage brokers do?

Mortgage brokers are finance professionals who help borrowers organise home loans with mortgage lenders.

Home Loans

26 Jun, 2023

5 min read

Peter Terlato

Personal Finance Editor

How to find a mortgage broker

With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. But fear not! We've put together a handy guide to help you navigate the process in order to find the ideal mortgage broker for your needs.

Home Loans

22 Jun, 2023

6 min read

Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

Refinancing your home loan to buy an investment property

If you’ve been paying down your mortgage consistently while living in your property, you may be considering using your available equity to secure an investment property. While this strategy comes with its risks, there is potentially also great reward to be had in a successful investment.

Home Loans

07 Jun, 2023

5 min read