Traditionally, there’s been a perception that young Australians want to live in our capital cities, thanks to the career opportunities, buzzing nightlife and vibrant lifestyle. But new data from the Commonwealth Bank and the Regional Australia Institute’s Regional Movers Index has turned that notion on its head. The index found...
Four tips to help with the cost of living crunch
The financial squeeze is well, and truly on, as rising interest rates, skyrocketing fuel prices and climbing food costs all take their toll. Few will be immune to the pinch, with new NAB research finding many Australians are making big changes to their spending behaviours due to the rising cost...
Australia’s home loan wars heat up
Home loan interest rates are on the rise, thanks to back-to-back cash rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia that have seen the country’s official interest rate jump to 0.85%. The RBA’s move comes off the back of the fastest acceleration of inflation in over two decades, representing a...
Labor’s Plans to Tackle Worsening Housing Affordability
Many Australians are locked out of the property market. The latest ANZ-CoreLogic Housing Affordability report estimated dwelling values were, as of March 2022, a record 8.5 times higher than the median annual household income. Now compare that to March 2020, pre-pandemic, when the ratio was sitting at 6.8. However, despite...
4 simple ways to save for a home deposit
Given the median value of a home in Melbourne was over $800,000 in April, it’s no wonder that getting on the property ladder can seem tough. Your biggest challenge? Saving that all-important deposit – which can take years of scrimping and saving. But all is not lost. With a solid...
Why now might be a great time to think about refinancing
What would you say if we told you some home loan lenders are so desperate for your business that they will hand you thousands of dollars in cash if you refinance your home mortgage with them? Even better, this money can be spent any way you like – whether that's...
First home loan deposit scheme – in simple terms
So we heard on the radio today that over 70% of Aussies see homeownership for first home buyers as almost impossible nowadays. And it makes sense. Now to be fair, we're not sure if it’s actually home prices that are the issue or stagnant wages. Perhaps a bit of both?...
How to make the most of your home’s equity
It might not feel like it, but Australians have never been as wealthy. Household wealth skyrocketed by $590 billion over the September 2021 quarter to hit a record $13.9 trillion, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ most recent figures. Wealth per capita rose to a record high of $540,000....
What is Rentvesting – and why should you consider it?
It’s disheartening if you’ve been priced out of the property market where you want to live. Even if you’re prepared to compromise on location, it can still be hard to buy your first home in Australia, thanks to soaring property prices. But don’t give up on your homeownership dreams just...
What can we expect from the property market in 2022?
Property prices rose by an extraordinary 22.1% last year, according to CoreLogic, and many people are wondering if the boom will continue throughout 2022. Nobody can ever say for certain what the future holds, but it’s highly unlikely prices will grow as quickly this year as they did the last....