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Learn more about how to manage your personal finances with RateCity's home loan articles, including how-to-guides on comparing home loan interest rates, fees, features and other benefits.
Mark Bristow
Personal Finance Editor
What do Australian credit laws do for you?
Australia has a variety of rules, regulations and laws in place to help protect citizens and their personal finances when they’re borrowing money. There are protections in place for credit card, car loan and personal loan customers, as well as for borrowers taking out a mortgage.
Home Loans
23 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Patricia Babalis
First home owners boost
The First Home Owners Boost was established by the Federal Government in 2008 to encourage stimulus to the housing market during the global financial crisis and was an addition to the First Home Owners Grant.
Home Loans
15 Nov, 2009
1 min read
RateCity
The cost of buying a property
The cost of buying a property is a huge financial burden that cannot be avoided if you need a home loan. If you are trying to work out the cost of buying a property you will generally need about 15 percent of the purchase price s an up front cost.
Home Loans
15 Nov, 2009
2 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Mortgage competition warms up in time for a merry Christmas
Be sure to shop around for home loans with lower fees and better features as the economy warms up in time for Christmas and lenders become eager to compete for market share. RateCity CEO Damian Smith says packaged deals are where you are likely to find the most competitive home loan offers in the months ahead
Home Loans
11 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Save $50,000 on your home loan, Here's how!
Interest rate rises hit home for people with variable rate mortgages, despite being cheaper than most fixed rate loans. When looking at home loans it is easy to be drawn in by promises of low interest rates without considering all the conditions of the loan.
Home Loans
11 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Mortgage talk made easy
Buying a new home is a trying time and the jargon bandied about by mortgage brokers, banks and real estate agents can add to the confusion. Whether you’re buying your first home or trading up or down, the process of finding the right home loan for your needs can be long and laborious.
Home Loans
09 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
To buy or not to buy, Clearance rates skyrocket
Is now the time to ride the property market clearance wave or wait till the tide turns? A sales splurge has swept the Australian mortgage market, with hundreds of properties clearing out every week.
Home Loans
09 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Kate Cowling
Overextending ourselves to get our dream home
We would like to believe that lenders have our best interest at heart, but where money is involved, there is only one person who knows what’s best for you – you! Mortgage stress is an overwhelming concern for a number of Australians as they financially over-extend themselves to get their dream home.
Home Loans
02 Nov, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Are coastal homes an affordable dream?
A fall in coastal property prices over the past year has created more opportunities for people thinking of a sea change. As people scrambled to snap up houses in metropolitan areas, competition on the coast has waned, but property research from RP Data suggests the tide will soon turn.
Home Loans
27 Oct, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Watch your credit habits, Tougher lending on the way
New credit and privacy laws could make it harder and more expensive to get a home loan so get your credit habits in order now. A new national scheme for regulating credit is to be phased in between now and July 2011.
Home Loans
27 Oct, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
What is the real cost of buying a property?
What exactly do you have to pay for when purchasing a home? Number one fee to hit your back pocket of course is stamp duty, followed by more upfront fees.
Home Loans
26 Oct, 2009
3 min read
Laine Gordon
Head of Public Relations
Home alone: Can single income buyers afford a home?
Many young professionals on a single income have been pondering their chances of survival in the home buying game. But how affordable is it to step into the property market right now?
Home Loans
26 Oct, 2009
3 min read
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