mortgages + home loans

Banks will need much more than just a payslip before providing a loan, according to guidance on responsible lending laws released by ASIC. "You will need information to determine whether that income is consistent and likely to remain at that level for ... More

Interest rates may be at their lowest since the 1950s, but high property prices make climbing onto the first rung of the property ladder no easy feat. The good news is that help is at hand. The home loan industry, with state and federal governments ... More

Interest rates are at record lows, but this doesn't mean homeowners should get complacent about their mortgage. A minor difference in rates can significantly reduce the amount of interest payable over the life of your loan. Even a rate reduction ... More

Young people are less likely to buy a home than they were in the past, new research by the Arc Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR) shows. UNSW Sydney senior research fellow and lead author Rafal Chomik says the findings are in ... More

Australia's big four banks are back in the hot seat, this time for their failure to pass on central bank rate cuts to consumers. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg today ramped up the government's campaign against the banking sector, giving the go ahead ... More

Can't afford to buy in the area where you live? There is a way to enjoy the lifestyle of your favourite suburb and still get a foothold in the property market. Rentvesting - owning an investment property while renting where you live - is gaining ... More

Q. Hi Paul, My wife and I are 44 and 45, both working full time with a combined income of about $220,000pa. We have a mortgage with an offset account, which is incurring 0% interest as our savings of about $60,000 are equal to the outstanding mortgage. ... More

With the RBA cutting the cash rate for the third time this year it's time for mortgage customers to get busy. While you could sit back and hope your current lender passes on the rate cut in full, taking charge and seeking out a better deal instead ... More

Recent evidence of a strong rebound in Sydney and Melbourne housing values wasn't enough to stave off a rate cut, with the RBA opting to slash interest rates further to a new record low. A trend towards higher unemployment and a slowdown in jobs growth ... More

The bank of mum and dad is under threat. Ranked as one of the top 10 lenders in Australia, based on figures from the regulator APRA, reliance on the bank of mum and dad (BOMAD) became widespread for first home buyers in a rising market. A year ago as ... More