Being a first home buyer is no easy task. The sea of processes and procedures can be overwhelming and stressful. For people wishing to enter the property market, a common question is “should I buy an investment property, or my first home?”. The answer depends on the purchaser’s long-term financial goals. But is there a way to do both?

Four things to consider when seeking out your first … Read more »

When investing in property there are various different loan types that you can come across including fixed term loans, variable-rate loans as well as being able to use an offset account. An offset account has the potential to save you thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars during your mortgage lifetime. So what exactly is it and how can you use it? Alex Goldhagen from iBuyNew explains.

What is … Read more »

After showing strong conditions through to September, the final quarter of 2015 ends with capital city dwelling values declining by 1.4%.

According to the CoreLogic RP Data Home Value Index, dwelling values were absolutely flat across the combined capitals during December, with negative movements in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra being offset by a rise in dwelling values across the remaining five capital cities. The Sydney housing market was the main drag … Read more »

The Reserve Bank meeting in early December declared that the cash rate will remain at 2%. Most of the experts on the panel agreed that Australia’s improving economy will be the most likely reason to keep the cash rate as it is.

However, commentators are suggesting that 2016 will be much more difficult for both borrowers and lenders.

“It’s going to be tougher for households next year and it’s not just borrowers … Read more »

Using a self-managed super fund (SMSF) to buy property is becoming increasingly popular but the decision requires careful consideration.

There are significant advantages to having a property in an SMSF for example tax effectiveness: your super fund will be taxed at 15 per cent which is considerably lower than most people’s personal tax rates.

However, there are a few things to bear in mind if you … Read more »

The big four banks have increased home loan interest rates, and now most other lenders have followed their lead. So is now the time to refinance?

Gone are the days when people would get a home loan and stay with the same lender for the full 25 or 30-year loan term. In Australia, the average homeowner changes their loan every four to five years because people continually seek a better deal.

There … Read more »

When investing in property there are various different loan types that you can come across including fixed term loans, variable-rate loans as well as being able to use an offset account. An offset account has the potential to save you thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars during your mortgage lifetime. So what exactly is it and how can you use it? Alex Goldhagen from iBuyNew explains.

What is … Read more »