Posts Tagged ‘Newcastle’
Apathy is the enemy of Home Loan savings
I will get straight to the point. If you have a 5 on the front of your interest rate then you could be wasting hundreds, even thousands of dollars every year. At Smartline we have a product on our panel (with a well know lender) that is now offering 4.65% p.a. (with a 100% offset…
Read MoreBuilding your investment property team
I regularly have conservations with people who have decided that they want to purchase an investment property. This conversation is becoming more frequent, as increasing property prices again become the topic of dinner party and Sunday afternoon BBQ conversations. Whether investing in proprety is the right strategy for you, is a conversation you should be…
Read MoreBanking on procrastination is good for business
We have some positive news to kick off the working year. The RBA Governor has just confirmed that our banks are now able to raise funds at far “more favourable” rates. These savings should see our banks passing on interest rate cuts in the near future. Interestingly, Michael Pascoe (Fairfax Journalist) has a suspicion that…
Read MoreWhy would I use a mortgage broker?
School has returned and the working year for almost everyone is back in full swing, can you believe that it is February 2013 already, soon we will be asking where the year went again if we are not careful. Having returned to work from a good break I have taken the chance to reflect on…
Read MoreDare to dream interest rates could go lower?
When the RBA Board met last Tuesday it decided to hold the cash rate at the current level for another month. Although Australia’s inflation rate appears to be well under control (which could justify a rate cut), the improving global economic outlook has the board wondering if our economy really needs further stimulus. Interestingly, the…
Read MoreEven the major banks are not the same
Recent media commentary has been focused on the lack of competition in the Australian mortgage market but we are seeing something very different. The non majors are fighting back in a big way. In fact, approximately 25% of Smartline’s clients are now choosing these competitive lenders. Smartline’s chart below shows a comparison between the variable…
Read MoreHow much does it actually cost to buy a house?
What does it actually cost to buy a house and move in? Buying a house is an expensive time in one’s life, and is usually the culmination of months and/or years of saving hard and going without to save the deposit. With recent changes to stamp duty concessions and first home buyer grants in NSW…
Read MoreThe Path to a Home Loan
There is no doubt that for some people buying their first home and applying for a home loan is a stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be for you. With some careful planning the stress of obtaining a home loan can be negated. Follow my “The Path to a Home Loan” and take the…
Read MoreCooks Hill – 2012 in review
Cooks Hill is a popular suburb in inner city Newcastle populated by many cafes and trendy boutique shops. Almost everyone you meet in Newcastle has lived there at some time, so I thought I’d have a look at the demographics of why. With more than 50% of the houses in Cooks Hill rented it is…
Read MoreFixed v Variable Interest Rate Home Loans In Australia
I have been asked many times over the last few months by my clients whether I think that they should fix the interest rate on their home loan with three year fixed rates being significantly lower than their long term average. The real question that most of my client’s are in fact asking is Do…
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