10 Oct, 2018

Savings are savings, right? Well… not necessarily. As part of a lender’s assessment of your suitability as a ‘good borrower’ they require evidence of your ability to plan and save for a deposit yourself. The concept of genuine savings is one area that can be confusing – and it doesn’t help that each lender tends to have their own policy. Definition of genuine savings This term is used by lenders to define the amount of funds a home loan applicant has ‘genuinely’ saved over time. Requirements

05 Jan, 2018

January and February are traditionally the months we see a peak in job seeking activity1. Perhaps a consequence of all those new year's resolutions for self improvement? Research shows Gen Y is now actively exploring and entering the property market. They are also well known as the job hopping generation with an average of just 20 to 32 months in a job2. In fact, the national average job tenure across all age groups is now 3.3 years. Today's job market is a far cry from the days of a 'job for

03 Jan, 2018

Do you want 2018 to be different? THEN START TODAY! It’s that time of the new year again… so here are our TOP TEN TIPS to help YOU achieve your financial goals in 2018. Follow them through and this might be the year that makes a BIG difference to your financial future! 1. Revisit or redo my budget Email us for our budget organiser to help you get started! 2. Save 10% of my earnings Direct debit into a separate higher interest savings account to avoid unnecessary or emotional spending

20 Sep, 2017

As new parents we are often caught off guard when our organised life becomes a thing of the past after we bring home our bundle of joy. It’s amazing how tiny babies can turn our household upside down. We quickly learn to be more flexible about when we eat, sleep, go to the shops and even shower! It helps to be flexible in our financial life too when the impact of reduced household income and the expense of a new addition starts to be felt. We’ve all heard it said “there is never a right time

01 Sep, 2017

A recent survey of Australian mortgage holders found 45% had NEVER refinanced their home1. The report also found customers who DID refinance saved an average of $240 per month ($2,880 pa) by refinancing a 30 year loan. What would YOU do with an extra $240 each month? Why consider refinancing? You no doubt know the cash rate set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is at an all-time historical low. In turn, most lenders are offering the lowest home loan rates EVER seen. SO... If there are

09 Aug, 2017

We have all heard of credit reporting, but have you heard of credit scoring? Your credit file is one of your most important financial assets. Safeguarding this file is an important part of the finance application process. Your credit file contains: credit applications, overdue credit accounts, payment defaults, clearouts (as a missing debtor), commercial credit information and public record information.  You will have a credit score calculated from your credit file. Did you know that a

06 Jun, 2017

It may seem one of the more tedious aspects of buying yourself a home, but building inspections are a must! It’s surprising how many people don’t think about getting a pre-purchase building inspection or decide not to for the sake of saving a few hundred dollars. An inspection is essential for a number of key reasons: 1. Checking for structural issues Structural weaknesses can cause collapses that may injure a person, but there’s also the possibility that the structural issue will be nearly

18 May, 2017

The Federal Budget is looming AND there are rumoured initiatives to help first home buyers (FHBs) into the property market. So if you – or your children – are potential FHB’s it might pay to stay tuned…. Housing affordability has been a hot topic as a barrier to entry into the Australian property market. Despite this, the younger generation ARE starting to enter the property market in a variety of ways – as singles, couples, rent investors, in co-ownership and also with help from family. So if

19 Apr, 2017

Take this quick quiz... How much do you know about YOUR home loan? Take this quick quiz (answer YES or NO).  Do you know: Your current interest rate? If your rate is fixed, variable or split between the two? The remaining term of your home loan? If you have a 'no frills' home loan or is it packaged with other finance products? If you have an offset account? If you have a redraw facility? If so, do you use it? If your loan attracts a break fee? How many times did you answer 'yes'? Research