Best 2018 home loans for refinancers - Mozo Editors’ picks
As the saying goes ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ and while this may apply to many circumstances, your home loan isn’t one of them. And if you come to find that your rate is no longer competitive and that your loan doesn’t offer a range of features, it might be time to refinance.
Refinancing your home loan could help save you thousands over the life of your mortgage while giving you more flexibility with your repayments. But where do you start? Luckily, the Mozo Editors have dived into the home loan comparison tool and pulled out some of their top refinance picks for 2018.
Click Loans - The Online Home Loan
- 3.64% variable rate (3.64% comparison rate)
- Borrow up to 70% LVR
- Free redraw and extra repayments (free up to $10,000 p.a)
- No ongoing fees
The verdict
If you’re after a lender that puts you first, then you might want to know about ClickLoans. The Online Home Loan has a 3.64% variable rate along with a 3.64% comparison rate and ditches ongoing fees. But to make things a little more personal, you could have a tailor-made upfront rate within 30 seconds just by answering 8 quick questions on the ClickLoans website! Plus, you’ll be able to make free additional repayments, have an optional offset account and free redraws on your repayments.
Bank Australia - Basic Home Loan Special
- 3.74% variable rate (3.75% comparison rate)
- Flexible repayment schedule
- Repayment holiday available
- Redraw and extra repayments available
The verdict
It may be called the Basic Home Loan, but we think it’s anything but. With this loan, you’ll have a 3.74% variable rate and 3.75% comparison rate, plus, there’s the option to fix your rate or split it between fixed and variable. There’s also a great deal of flexibility with this loan as you’ll be able to make your repayments on a schedule of your choosing - weekly, fortnightly or monthly, or take a repayment holiday altogether if you need a break from your loan.
ME - Flexible Home Loan
- 3.74% variable rate (4.15% comparison rate)
- Free extra repayments and redraw facility
- $0 upfront fees
- Borrow up to 80% LVR
The verdict
If you’re after a loan that was designed to keep up with your lifestyle, then look no further than ME Bank and its Flexible Home Loan Member Package. This is a loan with no upfront fees, free redraws, a 100% offset account and you’ll be able to borrow up to 80% LVR. When it comes to your rate, you do have the option to split your loan and make repayments at a fixed and variable rate. You can also rest easy knowing that if the unexpected did happen, you’ll be able to apply for a repayment holiday.
Aussie - Select Basic Variable
- 3.79% variable rate (3.80% comparison rate)
- Borrow up to 80% LVR
- Free extra repayments and redraw facility
- Principal and interest type loan
The verdict
If we’re talking competitive, then you might want to check out Aussie and its Select Basic Variable. With the Select Basic Variable Home Loan, you’ll be offered a 3.79% variable rate and 3.80% comparison rate to be repaid over a fortnightly or monthly basis. While there is no offset account, you are able to redraw for free at anytime and make extra repayments on your loan. There’s also no application or ongoing fees - talk about low maintenance!
NAB - Base Variable Rate Home Loan
- 4.17% variable rate (4.21% comparison rate)
- No annual or monthly fee
- Borrow up to 95% LVR
- Extra repayments and redraw facility
The verdict
But for those who like to stick with the big banks when it comes to their finances, we’ve got NAB and its Base Variable Rate Home Loan. While we should mention that there is a hefty $600 application fee, you won’t ever have to pay an annual or monthly fee over the course of your loan. As this is a bank home loan, there is a 4.17% variable rate - the highest rate in our list - and a 4.21% comparison rate, but you will be able to bring this rate down with its extra repayments feature.
*The Comparison Rate combines the lender's interest rate, fees and charges into a single rate to show the true cost of a home loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years, and applies only to this example.
* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.
** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.
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