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Product | Advertised Rate 2.09% Fixed - 3 years | Comparison Rate* 2.43% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,285 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 70% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | Owner occupiers with deposits of 30% or more can lock in a low fixed rate for three years, with no ongoing fees. | Winner of Best 3 year fixed pi, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | Highlighted | |
Advertised Rate 2.34% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.34% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,322 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | With a discounted variable interest rate and no upfront or ongoing fees, you may be able to minimise the cost of your owner-occupied home loan. | Winner of Best variable, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | |||
Advertised Rate 1.77% Variable | Comparison Rate* 1.83% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,238 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 60% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | If you have more than 40 per cent equity in your home, you could refinance to this low rate and also benefit from unlimited extra repayments and a redraw facility. | Winner of Best refinance home loan, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | |||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.17% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.20% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,297 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | If you have 20% or more in deposit or equity available, you may be able to benefit from a low variable rate, access to a 100% offset account, plus free redraws | Winner of Best variable, Best refinance home loan, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | ||
Advertised Rate 2.48% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.50% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,343 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Advertised Rate 2.54% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.55% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,352 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Advertised Rate 2.09% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.12% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,285 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 70% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | Winner of Best refinance home loan, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | ||||
Advertised Rate 2.04% Fixed - 3 years | Comparison Rate* 2.73% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,277 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Advertised Rate 1.75% Fixed - 3 years | Comparison Rate* 2.22% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,235 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.55% Fixed - 1 year | Comparison Rate* 3.21% | Company ![]() | Repayment $638 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 79.9999% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Product | Advertised Rate 3.39% Variable | Comparison Rate* 3.59% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,484 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 85% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.55% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.60% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,353 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 90% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.79% Fixed - 3 years | Comparison Rate* 4.46% | Company ![]() | Repayment $698 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 90% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Advertised Rate 2.59% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.60% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,359 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.29% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.36% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,314 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 75% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Advertised Rate 2.74% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.74% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,382 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | Winner of Best investment home loan, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details | ||||
Product | Advertised Rate 1.94% Fixed - 1 year | Comparison Rate* 2.18% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,263 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Product | Advertised Rate 2.05% Fixed - 2 years | Comparison Rate* 2.65% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,279 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 94.9999% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | |||
Advertised Rate 2.49% Variable | Comparison Rate* 2.56% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,344 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 75% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | More details | ||||
Product | Advertised Rate 1.99% Fixed - 3 years | Comparison Rate* 2.53% | Company ![]() | Repayment $1,270 monthly | Features Redraw facility Offset Account Borrow up to 80% Extra Repayments Interest Only Owner Occupied | Go to site | Winner of Best 3 year fixed pi, RateCity Gold Awards 2021 More details |
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Split loans
Buying a new home is a big step, whether you have experience in buying and moving or not. It can be especially daunting for first time buyers who haven't yet explored the maze of financial opportunities that could be offered to buy that dream property. The sensible way to approach the possibility of taking out a home loan – it's unlikely that you'll ever take out such a large loan for anything else – is to take the time to do some careful and detailed research and compare the range of options available. One such option is called split loans, and below is some information on how these work.
What are split loans?
To set these in context, you need to remember that a loan you take out has to be repaid in full plus the interest charges – it may sound obvious, but it's worth stating so that you are under no illusions as to what you're taking on. There are different ways to arrange repayments of your loan, even if it is a relatively small one, but for larger home loans, you need to weigh up what will be the best way to make repayments on a monthly basis that isn’t going to stretch your finances. Let's look at the three main ways that you could arrange to pay off your loan.
- Split interest loans: loans are usually repaid - when they are for a mortgage - either by variable interest, fixed interest or split interest. Split interest is when you have a blend of a variable rate and a fixed rate. When you choose this, a part of your monthly payments are paid at an initial interest rate, but that can be varied depending on the rise or fall in interest rates. The fixed rate part of split rates is a level of interest that you have agreed with your lender over a specific period of time. It doesn't change, and though you wouldn't benefit from a drop in interest rates, you're protected from a rise in them.
- Fixed rate loans: as above, this is where your lender offers you a rate that stays the same for the agreed period. It can help you control your cash flow and can be useful in terms of a split loan to give you a measure of control as to what you will repay every month.
- Variable rate loans: if you're comfortable with the possibility of your loan interest rate going either up or down depending on how interest rates are set by the central bank, a variable rate is probably what you would go for. When this is part of a split rate agreement, you have the certainty of your fixed rate and the potential for your variable mortgage rate to go down. It could, of course, go up.
Are there rewards and risks with split loans?
You have more control over your rates than solely with a variable interest rate loan, and you will own your property if your repayments are completed in the agreed mortgage term. If you default on a split loan, you are in danger of losing your home.
Nick Bendel
Property Personal Finance Writer
A property and personal finance writer, Nick Bendel covers property, loans, credit cards, superannuation, and other bank products. Nick has previously written for The Adviser, Mortgage Business, Lifehacker, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and InvestorDaily, and loves getting elbow-deep in the latest ABS, APRA and RBA data.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between fixed, variable and split rates?
A fixed rate home loan is a loan where the interest rate is set for a certain amount of time, usually between one and 15 years. The advantage of a fixed rate is that you know exactly how much your repayments will be for the duration of the fixed term. There are some disadvantages to fixing that you need to be aware of. Some products won’t let you make extra repayments, or offer tools such as an offset account to help you reduce your interest, while others will charge a significant break fee if you decide to terminate the loan before the fixed period finishes.
A variable rate home loan is one where the interest rate can and will change over the course of your loan. The rate is determined by your lender, not the Reserve Bank of Australia, so while the cash rate might go down, your bank may decide not to follow suit, although they do broadly follow market conditions. One of the upsides of variable rates is that they are typically more flexible than their fixed rate counterparts which means that a lot of these products will let you make extra repayments and offer features such as offset accounts.
Split rates home loans
A split loan lets you fix a portion of your loan, and leave the remainder on a variable rate so you get a bet each way on fixed and variable rates. A split loan is a good option for someone who wants the peace of mind that regular repayments can provide but still wants to retain some of the additional features variable loans typically provide such as an offset account. Of course, with most things in life, split loans are still a trade-off. If the variable rate goes down, for example, the lower interest rates will only apply to the section that you didn’t fix.
What is a split home loan?
A split loan lets you fix a portion of your loan, and leave the remainder on a variable rate so you get a bet each way on fixed and variable rates. A split loan is a good option for someone who wants the peace of mind that regular repayments can provide but still wants to retain some of the additional features variable loans typically provide such as an offset account. Of course, with most things in life, split loans are still a trade-off. If the variable rate goes down, for example, the lower interest rates will only apply to the section that you didn’t fix.
What happens to my home loan when interest rates rise?
If you are on a variable rate home loan, every so often your rate will be subject to increases and decreases. Rate changes are determined by your lender, not the Reserve Bank of Australia, however often when the RBA changes the cash rate, a number of banks will follow suit, at least to some extent. You can use RateCity cash rate to check how the latest interest rate change affected your mortgage interest rate.
When your rate rises, you will be required to pay your bank more each month in mortgage repayments. Similarly, if your interest rate is cut, then your monthly repayments will decrease. Your lender will notify you of what your new repayments will be, although you can do the calculations yourself, and compare other home loan rates using our mortgage calculator.
There is no way of conclusively predicting when interest rates will go up or down on home loans so if you prefer a more stable approach consider opting for a fixed rate loan.
What is the best interest rate for a mortgage?
The fastest way to find out what the lowest interest rates on the market are is to use a comparison website.
While a low interest rate is highly preferable, it is not the only factor that will determine whether a particular loan is right for you.
Loans with low interest rates can often include hidden catches, such as high fees or a period of low rates which jumps up after the introductory period has ended.
To work out the best value for money, have a look at a loan’s comparison rate and read the fine print to get across all the fees and charges that you could be theoretically charged over the life of the loan.
What is a variable home loan?
A variable rate home loan is one where the interest rate can and will change over the course of your loan. The rate is determined by your lender, not the Reserve Bank of Australia, so while the cash rate might go down, your bank may decide not to follow suit, although they do broadly follow market conditions. One of the upsides of variable rates is that they are typically more flexible than their fixed rate counterparts which means that a lot of these products will let you make extra repayments and offer features such as offset accounts.
What is 'principal and interest'?
‘Principal and interest’ loans are the most common type of home loans on the market. The principal part of the loan is the initial sum lent to the customer and the interest is the money paid on top of this, at the agreed interest rate, until the end of the loan.
By reducing the principal amount, the total of interest charged will also become smaller until eventually the debt is paid off in full.
What is a standard variable rate (SVR)?
The standard variable rate (SVR) is the interest rate a lender applies to their standard home loan. It is a variable interest rate which is normally used as a benchmark from which they price their other variable rate home loan products.
A standard variable rate home loan typically includes most, if not all the features the lender has on offer, such as an offset account, but it often comes with a higher interest rate attached than their most ‘basic’ product on offer (usually referred to as their basic variable rate mortgage).
What is a comparison rate?
The comparison rate is a more inclusive way of comparing home loans that factors in not only on the interest rate but also the majority of upfront and ongoing charges that add to the total cost of a home loan.
The rate is calculated using an industry-wide formula based on a $150,000 loan over a 25-year period and includes things like revert rates after an introductory or fixed rate period, application fees and monthly account keeping fees.
In Australia, all lenders are required by law to publish the comparison rate alongside their advertised rate so people can compare products easily.
What is an interest-only loan? How do I work out interest-only loan repayments?
An ‘interest-only’ loan is a loan where the borrower is only required to pay back the interest on the loan. Typically, banks will only let lenders do this for a fixed period of time – often five years – however some lenders will be happy to extend this.
Interest-only loans are popular with investors who aren’t keen on putting a lot of capital into their investment property. It is also a handy feature for people who need to reduce their mortgage repayments for a short period of time while they are travelling overseas, or taking time off to look after a new family member, for example.
While moving on to interest-only will make your monthly repayments cheaper, ultimately, you will end up paying your bank thousands of dollars extra in interest to make up for the time where you weren’t paying off the principal.
What is a fixed home loan?
A fixed rate home loan is a loan where the interest rate is set for a certain amount of time, usually between one and 15 years. The advantage of a fixed rate is that you know exactly how much your repayments will be for the duration of the fixed term. There are some disadvantages to fixing that you need to be aware of. Some products won’t let you make extra repayments, or offer tools such as an offset account to help you reduce your interest, while others will charge a significant break fee if you decide to terminate the loan before the fixed period finishes.
Can I apply for an ANZ non-resident home loan?
You may be eligible to apply for an ANZ non-resident home loan only if you meet the following two conditions:
- You hold a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa or its predecessor, the Temporary Skilled Work (subclass 457) visa.
- Your job is included in the Australian government’s Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List.
However, non-resident home loan applications may need Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval in addition to meeting ANZ’s Mortgage Credit Requirements. Also, they may not be eligible for loans that require paying for Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI). As a result, you may not be able to borrow more than 80 per cent of your home’s value. However, you can apply as a co-borrower with your spouse if they are a citizen of either Australia or New Zealand, or are a permanent resident.
How long does Bankwest take to approve home loans?
Full approval for a home loan usually involves a property valuation, which, Bankwest suggests, can take “a week or two”. As a result, getting your home loan approved may take longer. However, you may get full approval within this time if you applied for and received conditional approval, sometimes called a pre-approval, from Bankwest before finalising the home you want to buy.
Another way of speeding up approvals can be by completing, signing, and submitting your home loan application digitally. Essentially, you give the bank or your mortgage broker a copy of your home’s sale contract and then complete the rest of the steps online. Bankwest has claimed this cuts the approval time to less than four days, although this may only happen if your income and credit history can be verified easily, or if your home’s valuation doesn’t take time.
Why should I get an ING home loan pre-approval?
When you apply for an ING home loan pre-approval, you might be required to provide proof of employment and income, savings, as well as details on any on-going debts. The lender could also make a credit enquiry against your name. If you’re pre-approved, you will know how much money ING is willing to lend you.
Please note, however, that a pre-approval is nothing more than an idea of your ability to borrow funds and is not the final approval. You should receive the home loan approval only after finalising the property and submitting a formal loan application to the lender, ING. Additionally, a pre-approval does not stay valid indefinitely, since your financial circumstances and the home loan market could change overnight.
Can I get a NAB home loan on casual employment?
While many lenders consider casual employees as high-risk borrowers because of their fluctuating incomes, there are a few specialist lenders, such as NAB, which may provide home loans to individuals employed on a casual basis. A NAB home loan for casual employment is essentially a low doc home loan specifically designed to help casually employed individuals who may be unable to provide standard financial documents. However, since such loans are deemed high risk compared to regular home loans, you could be charged higher rates and receive lower maximum LVRs (Loan to Value Ratio, which is the loan amount you can borrow against the value of the property).
While applying for a home loan as a casual employee, you will likely be asked to demonstrate that you've been working steadily and might need to provide group certificates for the last two years. It is at the lender’s discretion to pick either of the two group certificates and consider that to be your income. If you’ve not had the same job for several years, providing proof of income could be a bit of a challenge for you. In this scenario, some lenders may rely on your year to date (YTD) income, and instead calculate your yearly income from that.
Remaining loan term
The length of time it will take to pay off your current home loan, based on the currently-entered mortgage balance, monthly repayment and interest rate.
How can I get ANZ home loan pre-approval?
Shopping for a new home is an exciting experience and getting a pre-approval on the loan may give you the peace of mind that you are looking at properties within your budget.
At the time of applying for the ANZ Bank home loan pre-approval, you will be required to provide proof of employment and income, along with records of your savings and debts.
An ANZ home loan pre-approval time frame is usually up to three months. However, being pre-approved doesn’t necessarily mean you will get your home loan. Other factors could lead to your home loan application being rejected, even with a prior pre-approval. Some factors include the property evaluation not meeting the bank’s criteria or a change in your financial circumstances.
You can make an application for ANZ home loan pre-approval online or call on 1800100641 Mon-Fri 8.00 am to 8.00 pm (AEST).
What is a honeymoon rate and honeymoon period?
Also known as the ‘introductory rate’ or ‘bait rate’, a honeymoon rate is a special low interest rate applied to loans for an initial period to attract more borrowers. The honeymoon period when this lower rate applies usually varies from six months to one year. The rate can be fixed, capped or variable for the first 12 months of the loan. At the end of the term, the loan reverts to the standard variable rate.
Who has the best home loan?
Determining who has the ‘best’ home loan really does depend on your own personal circumstances and requirements. It may be tempting to judge a loan merely on the interest rate but there can be added value in the extras on offer, such as offset and redraw facilities, that aren’t available with all low rate loans.
To determine which loan is the best for you, think about whether you would prefer the consistency of a fixed loan or the flexibility and potential benefits of a variable loan. Then determine which features will be necessary throughout the life of your loan. Thirdly, consider how much you are willing to pay in fees for the loan you want. Once you find the perfect combination of these three elements you are on your way to determining the best loan for you.
Does Westpac offer loan maternity leave options?
Having a baby or planning for one can bring about a lot of changes in your life, including to the hip pocket. You may need to re-do the budget to make sure you can afford the upcoming expenses, especially if one partner is taking parental leave to look after the little one.
Some families find it difficult to meet their home loan repayment obligations during this period. Flexible options, such as the Westpac home loan maternity leave offerings, have been put together to help reduce the pressure of repayments during parental leave.
Westpac offers a couple of choices, depending on your circumstances:
- Parental Leave Mortgage Repayment Reduction: You could get your home loan repayments reduced for up to 12 months for home loans with a term longer than a year.
- Mortgage Repayment Pause: You can pause repayments while on maternity leave, provided you’ve made additional repayments earlier.
When applying for a home loan while pregnant, Westpac has said it will recognise paid maternity leave and back-to-work salaries. All you need is a letter from your employer verifying your return-to-work date and the nature of your employment. Your partner’s income, government entitlements, savings and investments will may help your application.
How long does NAB home loan approval take?
The time required to get your home loan from NAB approved can vary based on a number of factors involved in the application process.
Once you have applied for a home loan, a NAB specialist will contact you within 24 hours over the phone to take down relevant information, including your total income, debts (existing loans, credit cards, etc.), assets (car, shares, etc.), and your monthly expenses (food, utility bills, etc.). Your lender might also ask for information related to the property you want to purchase, including the type of dwelling and preferred postcode.
NAB will then verify all your information and check your credit score, and if the details stack up, you should be given a conditional approval certificate. This certificate stipulates how much money NAB is willing to lend you and is typically valid for 90 days.
Once you have your conditional approval, you can start browsing for properties that you like and that fit within the budget that NAB has provided. After you find a suitable property, you’ll need to give a copy of the signed deed to NAB, following which you should get full approval and access to the funds. This process can take up to 4-6 weeks.