The past couple of years have seen a major upheaval in the lending landscape. Consecutive interest rate rises have driven mortgage repayments up and tightened lending criteria.
Coupled with the increasing cost of living, there’s no doubt this has made things more challenging for home owners, prompting many to look at how they can claw some of their money back by refinancing their home loans.
Certainly, done correctly, switching loans can add up to big savings over the long term. So, here’s the lowdown on how to refinance and find a loan that’s right for you.
There's nothing worse than opening your energy bill and finding it's higher than expected.
So it’s time to take charge and look at how you can at how you can cut electricity costs around your home and save more on your electricity bill.
There are plenty of changes - big and small, that can add up to reduce your bills and help you play your part in reducing emissions. Here are our top tips for keeping the energy meter down and putting more money back into your pocket.
Choosing a builder for a new home can be time-consuming, but it’s well worth the effort considering the amount of money involved, because making the right choice for you will directly influence not only the build quality of your home but also your enjoyment of the whole process.
Here’s a few pointers that will help you decide which builder is right for you.
The Australian Government has announced 50,000 places for the Home Guarantee Scheme over the 2024-25 financial year. The initiative is to support eligible home buyers to buy a home sooner.
Whether you’re a first home buyer, upgrading, downsizing or looking to refinance your existing mortgage, if you’re looking for a home loan, a mortgage broker can help you sort through the many options on offer from different lenders. Mortgage broking is a service that can give you information upfront, help steer you in the right direction and set you up for long-term success.
And in the current interest rate environment, knowing the right broker and the right questions are more important than ever.
When it comes to your garden, trees and plants can definitely add value to your property!
Why?
For a start, trees and large shrubs strategically placed in front and back yards which provide shade over a house can reduce energy costs in the summertime. But make sure you get the balance right. It’s best to avoid plants that will require a significant amount of costly maintenance. Likewise, make sure you select the most appropriate trees and plants for your climate and position them in the most suitable locations.
Get back-to-school ready with the School Student Broadband Initiative.
There’s no doubt that children who can access online learning at home as part of their education are more likely to engage in classroom activities. And now, thanks to the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI), they can.
Led by the National Broadband Network (NBN), SSBI is a Federal Government initiative offering free home internet to 30,000 unconnected households with school-aged students.
Buying your first home is one of the most exciting times in your life. But equally, working out how to finance it can be quite daunting and challenging. So we’ve put together a general checklist of information to help you to navigate your savings journey – and hopefully make the process as seamless as possible.
Identify your Budget.
The first thing you need to do is determine is how much you can borrow.
