News

It’s been two months since HomeBuilder was first announced, and I’m sure many have spent time dreaming about an extra $25,000 to spend on a reno or new home. The good news is grant applications are now officially open! All states have now opened application channels (see below) for the…

You’ve heard the saying ‘safe as houses’, right? Well, it seems that old adage may ring true even in the current pandemic, with many of the nation’s top economic experts saying that’s where they’d put their money right now. A Finder survey asked leading experts and economists to weigh in on…

As expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia kept the cash rate at 0.25% at its meeting today as the country continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The RBA, conscious of reductions in consumer spending, further falls in house prices and the flow on economic impact of stage four restrictions…

We’re all looking forward to things eventually getting back to normal, or at least the “new normal”. And while it’s not clear exactly what the “new normal” will look like in the property world, there are some promising early signs.  For instance, you might have seen that interest rates are…

Homeowners in record-high numbers are taking advantage of reduced interest rates and competitive refinancing offers. Are you ready to start saving and pay your home off sooner?  When times are tough, the belt gets tightened. And we’ve seen that play out across the country in a big way recently, with…

You’ve probably heard something along the lines of ‘you need a 20% deposit to buy a home’, right? Well, not necessarily. Here we’ll look at two options available to eligible first home buyers, including a $1 lenders mortgage insurance offer that’s just been launched. Now, to be fair, that 20%…

Home and business owners struggling financially due to COVID-19 will be given another four months to resume paying back their loans. Extended loan deferrals will be provided to those who genuinely need more than the current six-month timeframe, says the Australian Banking Association (ABA), however, extensions won’t be automatic. While…

The RBA has announced that the cash rate will remain unchanged for July with rates remaining at 0.25%. The RBA is mindful of rising concerns around unemployment post-JobKeeper, falls in housing and home loan approvals, decreasing property values and decreasing credit growth. The RBA maintains the stance that negative interest…

Want to buy your first home with a 5% deposit and save up to $10,000?⁣⁣ On your marks, get set, go! The race is on for limited spots in the federal government’s First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, which kicked off again on July 1.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The scheme allows eligible first…