The number one mortgage mistake
Rebeccah Elley
14 Jun 2017
Key Points
Big bank home loan loyalty costs Aussies $6 billion a year
Smaller lenders can save borrowers thousands of dollars a year
Lowest home loan rates start from just 3.66%
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
Rates updated daily. Advertiser disclosure.
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Offset Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
1.85% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 2.25% p.a. variable
2.21% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close details
Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Offset Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
Smart Booster Home Loan
2 Year Discounted Variable Rate, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <80% LVR
1.85% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 2.25% p.a. variable
2.21% p.a.
New super low introductory rate home loan for two years. Min 20% deposit. No monthly or ongoing fees. Fast settlement times. Mozo award-winning online lender. Friendly, local Australian based team.
Smart Booster Home Loan
New super low introductory rate home loan for two years. Min 20% deposit. No monthly or ongoing fees. Fast settlement times. Mozo award-winning online lender. Friendly, local Australian based team.
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1.85% p.a.variable for 24 months and then 2.25% p.a. variable
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2.21% 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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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Split Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
2.19% p.a. variable
2.19% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close details Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Split Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
UHomeLoan - Discount Offer
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
2.19% p.a. variable
2.19% p.a.
Enjoy a super low rate. $0 fees to consider. Fast and easy online application. Free redraw and free extra repayments. Flexible payment terms. Min 20% deposit required.
UHomeLoan - Discount Offer
Enjoy a super low rate. $0 fees to consider. Fast and easy online application. Free redraw and free extra repayments. Flexible payment terms. Min 20% deposit required.
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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
-
80.00%
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$100,000
-
-
-
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 UHomeLoan - Discount Offer
Details Close
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Home Loan Innovation - 2021
- Investor Home Loan - 2021
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
1.99% p.a. variable
1.99% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close details Mozo 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
1.99% p.a. variable
1.99% p.a.
Fast and efficient online application. Automatic discounts as loan is paid down. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Zero fees. Min 40% deposit required. Winner of three Mozo Expert's Choice Awards for 2021.
Celebrate Variable Home Loan
Fast and efficient online application. Automatic discounts as loan is paid down. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Zero fees. Min 40% deposit required. Winner of three Mozo Expert's Choice Awards for 2021.
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1.99% p.a. variable
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1.99% p.a.
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$0
-
$0.00
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$0.00
-
yes - free
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yes - free
-
no
-
$0
-
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
-
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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1.99% p.a. variable
1.99% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsVariable Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
1.99% p.a. variable
1.99% p.a.
Refinance only. Super-fast digital application process. Zero upfront fees. No on-going service fees. Free 100% offset sub account. Minimum 25% deposit required.
Variable Home Loan
Refinance only. Super-fast digital application process. Zero upfront fees. No on-going service fees. Free 100% offset sub account. Minimum 25% deposit required.
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1.99% p.a. variable
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1.99% p.a.
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$0
-
$0.00
-
$0.00
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yes - free
-
yes - free
-
yes - offset sub account
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$0
-
75.00%
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$100,000
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$2,500,000
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Variable
-
Principal & Interest
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Owner Occupier
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Monthly
-
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Variable Home Loan
Details Close
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2.14% p.a. variable
2.14% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsBasic Home Loan
Owner Occupier, LVR<60%, Principal & Interest
2.14% p.a. variable
2.14% p.a.
Competitive low variable rate. No application or account management fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free withdrawals of your savings.
Basic Home Loan
Competitive low variable rate. No application or account management fees. Flexibility to split your loan and set different repayment types. Fee free withdrawals of your savings.
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2.14% p.a. variable
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2.14% 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
-
$0
-
60.00%
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$150,000
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$5,000,000
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Variable
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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:
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
1.99% p.a. variable
2.02% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close details Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2021
Variable Home Loan Special
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <80%
1.99% p.a. variable
2.02% p.a.
Yard’s low-rate variable special home loan is packed with all features – unlimited additional repayments, free redraw, 100% offset account. Enjoy a simple online application. Special rate applies to home loan applications submitted by 31st January 2022. Low Cost Home Loan winner in the Mozo's Experts Choice award 2021.
Variable Home Loan Special
Yard’s low-rate variable special home loan is packed with all features – unlimited additional repayments, free redraw, 100% offset account. Enjoy a simple online application. Special rate applies to home loan applications submitted by 31st January 2022. Low Cost Home Loan winner in the Mozo's Experts Choice award 2021.
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1.99% p.a. variable
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2.02% p.a.
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$530
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$0.00
-
$500.00
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yes - free
-
yes - free
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Optional - $10 per month
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$530
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80.00%
-
$150,000
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$5,000,000
-
Variable
-
Principal & Interest
-
Owner Occupier
-
Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
-
Special rate applies to home loan applications submitted by 31 January 2022.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Variable Home Loan Special
Details Close
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1.97% p.a. variable
1.98% p.a.
$1234
Product details Close detailsDiscounted Home Value Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <70%
1.97% p.a. variable
1.98% p.a.
Enjoy competitive rates for owner occupiers. Enjoy unlimited free extra repayments. Flexibility to redraw additional payments for free. No ongoing monthly service fee. Plus, $3,288 cashback offer (conditions apply).
Discounted Home Value Loan
Enjoy competitive rates for owner occupiers. Enjoy unlimited free extra repayments. Flexibility to redraw additional payments for free. No ongoing monthly service fee. Plus, $3,288 cashback offer (conditions apply).
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1.97% p.a. variable
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1.98% p.a.
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$0
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$0.00
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$300.00
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yes - free
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yes - free
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no
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$0
-
70.00%
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$50,000
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$15,000,000
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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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Receive $3,288 cashback when you refinance an existing home loan of $250,000. Must apply by 31 December 2021 and settle by 28 February 2022.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Discounted Home Value Loan
Details Close
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^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home loans Awards
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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