How I'm Saving $87 a Week (or $4,500 This Year) on My Home Loan
22 Nov 2017
How competitive is your home loan rate?
Lenders are offering variable rates well below 4%
Huge savings on offer for borrowers prepared to ditch and switch
As a Director at comparison site Mozo.com.au, I consider myself to be pretty on top of my finances. So you can imagine the shock I got recently when reviewing my home loan rate to find that it had become seriously uncompetitive.
When I took out this loan with a smaller bank a few years ago, the rate delivered a serious saving on my previous loan. Secure in the knowledge I’d secured a great deal, I stopped paying close attention to my mortgage and focused on other things.
And that’s where I went wrong, because over the next couple of years my new lender proceeded to hike our rate little by little and hold back part of the Reserve Bank’s rate cuts over the same period.
I had become a victim of that time honoured tradition of banks fattening profit margins and was now paying 4.27% - more than 60 percentage points higher than the best rate on the market.
I knew there were now stacks of lenders offering rates below 4.00%, and after comparing the best loans decided to go with an online lender offering a super low variable rate... check out what's on offer in the comparison table below and then read on for the rest of my story.
Low Rate Home Loans – May 2018
Rates updated daily. Advertiser disclosure.
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Offset Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
1.99% p.a.variable for 12 months and then 2.48% p.a. variable
2.47% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsMozo experts choice awards won:
- Offset Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
Smart Booster Home Loan
1 Year Discounted Variable Rate, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR
1.99% p.a.variable for 12 months and then 2.48% p.a. variable
2.47% p.a.
A super low introductory rate home loan with no monthly or ongoing fees. Unlimited free redraws and unlimited additional repayments to help you build your equity and own your home sooner. Multiple loan splits available. (Rates revert after introductory period ends). 20% minimum deposit required. Winner of two Mozo Expert's Choice Award for 2021.
Smart Booster Home Loan
A super low introductory rate home loan with no monthly or ongoing fees. Unlimited free redraws and unlimited additional repayments to help you build your equity and own your home sooner. Multiple loan splits available. (Rates revert after introductory period ends). 20% minimum deposit required. Winner of two Mozo Expert's Choice Award for 2021.
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1.99% p.a.variable for 12 months and then 2.48% p.a. variable
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2.47% p.a.
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$520
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$0.00
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$0.00
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yes - free
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yes - free
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Optional - with 0.10% additional interest
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$520
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80.00%
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$50,000
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$1,000,000
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Variable
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Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Smart Booster Home Loan
Details Close
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1.75% p.a.
fixed 3 years2.22% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsUHomeLoan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
1.75% p.a.
fixed 3 years2.22% p.a.
$0 fees and easy application. Choose between weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments. 3 year fixed rates are for new Owner Occupier Principal & Interest loans.
UHomeLoan
$0 fees and easy application. Choose between weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments. 3 year fixed rates are for new Owner Occupier Principal & Interest loans.
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1.75% p.a.
fixed 3 years -
2.22% p.a.
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$0
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$0.00
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$0.00
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yes - free up to $20,000 p.a.
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no
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no
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$0
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80.00%
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$100,000
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$2,000,000
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Fixed
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Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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$395 Establishment fee waived for fixed rate loans that settle by 30 September 2022. Receive 1.75% 3 year fixed rate when you apply by 29 April 2021 and settle within 90 days.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the UHomeLoan
Details Close
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2.09% p.a.
fixed 3 years2.43% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsBasic Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR<70%
2.09% p.a.
fixed 3 years2.43% p.a.
Get a flexible loan structure with up to six loan accounts with different rate types. Make free extra repayments. Enjoy free redraw facility. No upfront or ongoing fees. Option to earn Qantas points.
Basic Home Loan
Get a flexible loan structure with up to six loan accounts with different rate types. Make free extra repayments. Enjoy free redraw facility. No upfront or ongoing fees. Option to earn Qantas points.
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2.09% p.a.
fixed 3 years -
2.43% p.a.
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$0
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$0.00
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$400.00
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yes - free
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yes - free
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no
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$0
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70.00%
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$150,000
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$750,000
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Fixed
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Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Monthly
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Basic Home Loan
Details Close
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Home Loan Innovation - 2021
- Investor Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
2.19% p.a. variable
2.19% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsMozo experts choice awards won:
- Home Loan Innovation - 2021
- Investor Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
Celebrate Variable Home Loan
<60% LVR, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
2.19% p.a. variable
2.19% p.a.
Fast and efficient online application. Automatic discounts as loan is paid off. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Zero fees to consider. Min 40% deposit required. Winner of three Mozo Expert's Choice Award for 2021.
Celebrate Variable Home Loan
Fast and efficient online application. Automatic discounts as loan is paid off. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Zero fees to consider. Min 40% deposit required. Winner of three Mozo Expert's Choice Award for 2021.
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2.19% p.a. variable
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2.19% p.a.
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$0
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$0.00
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$0.00
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yes - free
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yes - free
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no
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$0
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60.00%
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$100,000
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$2,000,000
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Variable
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Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Celebrate Variable Home Loan
Details Close
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1.89% p.a.
fixed 2 years2.15% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsFixed Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
1.89% p.a.
fixed 2 years2.15% p.a.
Award-winning low rate home loan that could save you thousands. No application or ongoing fees, fee-free redraws, unlimited additional repayments and an optional offset account for $10/month. Minimum 10% deposit. Winner of Mozo’s Experts Choice Award for Online Home Lender of the Year 2021.^
Fixed Home Loan
Award-winning low rate home loan that could save you thousands. No application or ongoing fees, fee-free redraws, unlimited additional repayments and an optional offset account for $10/month. Minimum 10% deposit. Winner of Mozo’s Experts Choice Award for Online Home Lender of the Year 2021.^
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1.89% p.a.
fixed 2 years -
2.15% p.a.
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$0
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$0.00
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$325.00
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yes - free, up to $20,000 p.a.
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yes - free
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Optional - $10 per month
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$0
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90.00%
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$50,000
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$2,000,000
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Fixed
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Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
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Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Fixed Home Loan
Details Close
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^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home loans Awards
Was it all worth it?
I’ve just completed the refinance process and sure, while there were some minor hassles with sending in paperwork and organising to be at home for the valuer, the time involved was actually quite minor when you consider the size of the savings. $87 a week to be precise, or just over $4,500 a year.
If that’s not worth putting in a few hours on paperwork then I don’t know what is!
The kicker in all of this is that a week before the refinance went through, I received a letter from my soon to be old lender advising of yet another rate increase. Not this time suckers!
So, if you haven’t reviewed your home loan rate lately I’d strongly advise you do. Who knows how much you could save by switching?
Rates correct at time of writing. How much you could save by refinancing your home loan depends on your personal circumstances.
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