We’ve all been guilty of the odd credit card mix-up from time to time – it happens! But if you’re consistently relying on a personal credit card to pay your business expenses – like 4-in-10 SME owners – then it’s probably time to explore other...
Are the days of ultra-low fixed interest rates over? It’s looking increasingly so, with two major banks increasing their fixed rates this week. So if you’ve been thinking about fixing your mortgage lately, it could be time to consider doing so. Do you know how when...
Almost 33,000 Australians bought their first home four years sooner thanks to two federal government schemes that give first home buyers a leg up into the property market. Could you, or someone you know, be eligible? We love a feel-good news story around here. And hearing that...
While many SME owners worry about their access to finance, a surge of new lenders and products is rapidly expanding the options available. And brokers have an important role to play for businesses, says the Productivity Commission. Changes to lending markets over the past decade mean...
Some borrowers will soon find it harder to get a mortgage after the banking regulator announced tougher serviceability tests for home loans. So who will they impact most? The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) will increase the minimum interest rate buffer it expects banks to use...
The federal treasurer has given the strongest indication yet that a home loan crackdown is coming, stating that “carefully targeted and timely adjustments” may be necessary to avoid troubled waters. So what could a potential lending crackdown look like? Lending standards and fast-rising property prices have...
Almost one-in-two SMEs have applied for new funding in the last six months, a new report has found, and of those SMEs only half were successful in obtaining the full amount they were seeking. If you haven’t already figured it out over the past 18 months,...
With house prices going gangbusters in the first half of 2021, is it still a good time to buy property? The majority of investors think so, according to the latest annual survey. And investors have their sights set on one city in particular. The 2021 PIPA Property...
The average Australian homeowner is paying more than $37,000 in extra interest over the life of their home loan due to the loyalty tax, and it’s got three-quarters of borrowers feeling “ripped off” and “angry”. What’s the loyalty tax? It’s this sneaky lender trick where borrowers with...
With interest rates at record low levels, the number of homeowners refinancing skyrocketed to an all-time high in July. Today we’ll run you through why so many people are refinancing, and why you should consider doing so too. We’re currently seeing more people refinance their home...
