Home loan news and advice

High debt-to-income ratios will be the focus of home loan reforms signalled by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg this week.

Due to the growing environmental concerns, lenders have been launching green loans to help customers make their homes more energy-efficient and eco-friendly. 

With a 1.99% p.a. variable interest rate (1.99% p.a. comparison rate*), no fees and a reputation for being among the first lenders to pass RBA rate cuts onto customers, online Aussie lender Athena is rewriting home loan history.

The head of Australia’s largest bank has weighed in on Australia’s runaway housing market, calling on lenders to proactively lift their serviceability floor rates to help temper rising risks.

Like any application, getting your home loan approved is another waiting game. Unfortunately, there is no definite answer on just how long because it all depends on external factors.

Buying property is a long-term home loan commitment of 20-30 years, so when searching for a home you need to keep in mind its resale value down the line. If you don’t, you may run the risk of losing thousands of dollars.

In the year to August, CoreLogic estimates there have been 598,000 house and unit sales across Australia.

Australian homeowners want to see change to the two-tier system in which many lenders prioritise new mortgage customers over old by way of lower interest rates.

In response to growing environmental concerns and increased awareness of the role banks can play in mitigating them, Gateway Bank has announced it will be offering $2,000 cashback to successful green home loan applicants.

Australians looking for a change of scenery continue to flock to regional areas, with those closest to capital cities emerging as the most popular destinations.