Entries by Hazel

Could your home loan pre-approval be out of date?

Having loan pre-approval can be a smart move for home buyers. But the recent Reserve Bank cash rate hikes could leave your pre-approval in need of an update. There’s a lot to love about home loan pre-approval. It shows how much a bank will let you borrow for a home – that’s your ‘borrowing power’. […]

How much do you need to earn to buy a home in 2026?

Sure, saving a deposit is important, but your income can hold the real key to getting into the market. That’s because it shapes your borrowing power. It stands to reason that lenders will look closely at your personal income when you apply for a home loan. It’s not just about you being able to comfortably […]

Happy New Year! Let’s discuss some potential 2026 goals

There’s nothing quite like a New Year’s resolution to fire you up for another lap around the sun. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, save on your mortgage, or leverage the equity in your current position, here are three resolutions to consider for 2026. So long, 2025 … You know what? We’ve got […]

Third rate cut delivered this year as RBA trims cash rate to 3.60%

Borrowers around the country have been delivered a sunnier financial outlook this month after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today trimmed the cash rate by another 25 basis points to 3.60%. How much could your monthly mortgage repayments decrease? After last month’s unexpected hold, the RBA this month went with market expectations and delivered […]

What’s going on with negative gearing?

Negative gearing is in the headlines again. But what is it all about, and could it affect you? We explain how negative gearing works, why it’s so popular among investors, and why it’s attracting fresh attention. Australians love property. So much so that more than one-in-ten adults (2,268,161 Australians) own an investment property. So why […]

Is now a good time to buy an investment property?

You’ve bought a home. And now you might be considering adding an investment property to your portfolio. But have recent interest rate hikes cooled your heels? We’ve outlined reasons why now may still be a good time to buy. To buy or not to buy, that is the question. There’s no denying that rolling rate […]

How long does it take for an interest rate rise to kick in?

Household budgets around the country are feeling the brunt of five back-to-back rate hikes. And we’ve been warned more are on the way.  But just to impact your monthly mortgage repayments? As you’re probably aware, in early September the RBA raised the cash rate to 2.35%. It was the fifth cash rate hike in a […]

Is a home loan lending crackdown on the horizon?

The federal treasurer has given the strongest indication yet that a home loan crackdown is coming, stating that “carefully targeted and timely adjustments” may be necessary to avoid troubled waters.   So what could a potential lending crackdown look like? Lending standards and fast-rising property prices have been hot topics of late. Interest rates are at […]

Has the housing market’s latest record-breaking run peaked?

Property prices climbed at a breathtaking pace in early 2021, which has been good news for homeowners and heartbreaking for house hunters. However, there are seven key signs that the pace of capital gains has peaked, says CoreLogic. Now, it’s important to note that CoreLogic is not suggesting that housing values are about to dip. […]