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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.

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

What do mortgage brokers do?
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

How to find a mortgage broker
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

Refinancing your home loan to buy an investment property
Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

What you need to know about refinancing for debt consolidation

If you already have a home loan, and also owe money on credit cards, personal loans or car loans, you may be figuratively drowning in debt. Juggling the repayments on multiple loans can be challenging at the best of times, and if your financial circumstances were to suddenly change, such as if you lost your job or suffered a prolonged illness, you could be at real risk of defaulting on one or more debts.

Home Loans

05 Jun, 2023

6 min read

What you need to know about refinancing for debt consolidation
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What is home loan refinancing?

You should always keep an eye on your home loan or mortgage interest rates and repayments and understand how competitive they are. These days, sites like RateCity.com.au can help you quickly and easily compare from literally hundreds of products to find a deal which best suits your needs.

Home Loans

30 May, 2023

6 min read

What is home loan refinancing?
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What is a refinance rebate?

Are you feeling the pinch of rising interest rates on your household budget? Refinancing to a lower interest rate could give you room to breathe and possibly earn you a cash rebate in the process!

Home Loans

30 May, 2023

3 min read

What is a refinance rebate?
Alex Ritchie

Personal Finance Editor

What is a mortgage broker and do you need one?

A mortgage broker is a finance professional who helps everyday Australians take out home loans with lenders. If you've ever wondered what is a mortgage broker and what does a mortgage broker do, this guide can help answer all your broker questions.

Home Loans

25 May, 2023

8 min read

What is a mortgage broker and do you need one?
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What is negative gearing?

Negative gearing refers to when investors can claim a tax deduction when their investments make a loss. While negative gearing offers several potential benefits, there are also risks involved.

Home Loans

24 May, 2023

6 min read

What is negative gearing?
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What happens to my redraw when I refinance?

Some lenders allow you to make extra repayments on top of your minimum home loan repayments, and a redraw facility allows you to access these funds when you need them for other purposes.

Home Loans

23 May, 2023

3 min read

What happens to my redraw when I refinance?
Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

Can you get a home loan when you’re being paid commissions?

Many Aussie salespeople earn a commission on the products or services they sell, which is calculated as a percentage of the total value of the sales. Commissions can vary for several reasons, such as changing seasonal demand for products or difficulties hitting sales targets.

Home Loans

18 May, 2023

9 min read

Can you get a home loan when you’re being paid commissions?
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

What is a home loan offset account?

Getting a home loan with the right features is one of the simplest ways to reduce your costs in the long term. A mortgage offset account is one feature that could make a huge difference, potentially saving you thousands of dollars per year, and may help you repay your mortgage sooner.

Home Loans

18 May, 2023

6 min read

What is a home loan offset account?
Vidhu Bajaj

Personal Finance Writer

Home loan redraw pros and cons

Redraw facilities are a way to access any additional payments you make on your mortgage but are they worth it? Weigh up the pros and cons.

Home Loans

11 May, 2023

7 min read

Home loan redraw pros and cons