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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.

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Online mortgage wars gather even more steam

Australians are embracing online mortgage products with gusto, resulting in heated competition from lenders for a bigger share of the .com lending market.

Home Loans

06 Jul, 2011

2 min read

Online mortgage wars gather even more steam

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

First homebuyer alert: How to accelerate your deposit

There are some key ways to give your savings power a boost. Save regularly, not just here and there, make your money work, earn more than you spend and government programs and grants.

Home Loans

06 Jul, 2011

2 min read

First homebuyer alert How to accelerate your deposit

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Bank gimmicks fail to win new customers

A new report from Loan Market reveals that, in spite of the Big Four banks offering everything from cash incentives to paying competitors’ exit fees, the mortgagees of Australia are largely reluctant to change lenders in their search for the best mortgage.

Home Loans

02 Jul, 2011

2 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

$7000 tree change' grant

Residents in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong are being offered a one-off $7000 payment to uproot for a tree change as part of the NSW government's Regional Relocation Grant. But an embarrassing loophole means that you may only have to move one suburb away to cash in.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2011

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

The things you should know about your mortgage

With a ban on excessive early exit mortgage fees now in place, borrowers are being urged to take advantage of switching without penalty to find a better deal on their home loans.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2011

3 min read

The things you should know about your mortgage

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Be wary of cleverly marketed mortgages

Borrowers are being urged to take caution when signing up to some home loan interest rate promotions, following the launch of several deals last month. While the official cash rate remained steady in May and June, five lenders slashed some of their residential mortgage rates by as much as 45 basis points.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2011

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

To fix or not to fix your home loan rate?

If you're nearing the end of your current mortgage deal or you're looking to buy a new home then planning your finance strategy for the future is no walk in the park, particularly amid rate rise forecasts.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2011

3 min read

To fix or not to fix your home loan rate?

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Owning or renting? How each stacks up financially

Do you think owning your own property is financially out of reach? On the contrary, new figures reveal that the monthly cost to rent a house in the nation's capital cities is on par with repaying an average-sized mortgage.

Home Loans

30 Jun, 2011

3 min read

Owning or renting? How each stacks up financially

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Lenders home in on refinancers

Competition in the mortgage market is heating up and borrowers looking to refinance are set to gain the most as lenders redirect their push away from first-time borrowers.

Home Loans

28 Jun, 2011

3 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Changes to First Home Saver Accounts make life easier

Changes to the First Home Saver Accounts (FHSA) Act will make saving for a deposit much easier.

Home Loans

27 Jun, 2011

2 min read

Changes to First Home Saver Accounts make life easier

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Are all mortgage calculators the same?

Loan Market’s Lee Banh answers your burning questions about mortgage calculators, including top tips and risks.

Home Loans

25 Jun, 2011

2 min read

Laine Gordon

Money Editor

Mortgage tips from Australia's most successful finance gurus

The nation’s top finance experts share their tips on how you can save money for your first home deposit, avoid paying too much for a property and remain realistic about what having a mortgage really means.

Home Loans

24 Jun, 2011

2 min read