The number one mortgage mistake

By Rebeccah Elley · · 2 min read
Fact Checked
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Home loan loyalty is costing Australian mortgage holders a whopping $6 billion a year, according to new research from comparison site Mozo.com.au.

Despite a surge in smaller lenders offering mortgage rates under 4.00%, borrowers are wasting $17 million a day by sticking with big bank lenders instead of switching to a cheaper home loan.

“The most expensive mistake the average borrower could make is sticking with the same loan over a 25 to 30 year period, says Mozo Director Kirsty Lamont.

“You’re paying a lazy tax and missing out on thousands of dollars in switching savings.”

“Refinancing to a new home loan only takes a few hours and the savings that can be made are significant - it could be the easiest couple of thousand dollars you make this year.”

Top Home Loans in March 2018 - last updated 13 August 2022

Search promoted home loans below or do a full Mozo database search . Advertiser disclosure
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    Initial monthly repayment
    3.10% p.a. variable
    3.12% p.a.

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  • Unloan Variable

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    Initial monthly repayment
    3.14% p.a. variable
    3.06% p.a.

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    3.64% p.a. variable
    3.66% p.a.

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  • PAYG Home Loan

    Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR<80%

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    Initial monthly repayment
    3.29% p.a. variable
    3.33% p.a.

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  • Celebrate Variable Home Loan

    <60% LVR, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest

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    3.79% p.a. variable
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  • Smart Booster Home Loan

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    Initial monthly repayment
    3.60% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 4.00% p.a. variable
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Here are Lamont’s three top tips for getting a better home loan deal:

1. Compare your rate with the best on market

“Look beyond the big four banks to find the best value. Smaller non-bank and online lenders like loans.com.au, UBank and Newcastle Permanent offer some of the lowest home loan rates in the market”, says Lamont.

To research the best value home loans, use a reputable comparison website like Mozo.com.au to compare home loans side by side and avoid wasted hours spent visiting each lender’s website.

2. See if you're up for any switching costs

Once you’ve compared the best rates to find out how much you can save by switching, Lamont says the next step is to work out any costs involved in refinancing.

“You might be charged a discharge fee from your current lender or an upfront fee by the provider you’re switching to. In most cases however, the savings to be made by switching will outweigh any refinancing costs.”

3. Choose a loan with flexible features

Lamont’s last piece of advice is to create a shortlist of the types of features you would like in your new loan.

“Features like an extra repayments facility and offset account can help you to pay down your home loan faster and save even more on interest charges,” adds Lamont.

Want to see if you can save thousands on your home loan?

Mozo compares more than 80 lenders to help you find the best value home loan for your needs. Compare now >>

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* 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, loan amount and term entered. 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.

^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home Loan Awards

Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.

While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.