Insights Articles

We’re not even going to bother with an intro sentence on this one.

The answer? Never, ever. Fudging figures or other information on a mortgage application is a mistake that costs a person more than they may initially realise... Continued

When it comes to working out how much a lender will allow you to borrow, there are no hard and fast rules that apply across the board.

Instead, each lender is likely to have its own criteria, which it uses to determine if you are an eligible borrower, and if so, how much you are allowed to borrow... Continued

If you’re saving for a deposit, or simply want to save money to meet your mortgage repayments, it pays to think outside the box.

Here are our top 3 tips for saving money, so you can pay off your mortgage or get that deposit sooner... Continued

This question was asked in a popular finance forum recently, so we thought we’d take a moment to address it. The simple response to whether a home can be refused based on the postcode you are buying in, is yes.

But there’s a lot more to it than that... Continued

If you’ve ever researched interest rates, home loans or anything else related to the world of finance, you’d know that it has its very own language, which includes many home loan abbreviations.

If you’re not 100% sure what DSR or LVR have to do with your chances of getting a competitive home loan, then this blog is for you... Continued

Should we get rid of negative gearing or should we let it stick around? This question has been the topic of big controversy in the property and investment sectors lately. Negative gearing is often blamed for high property prices, as well as preventing first homebuyers from stepping into the market.

But can we really live without it?.. Continued

New data from Hitwise has found a trend amongst Australian internet users – we don’t like searching personal finance online.

Hitwise looked at search engine traffic of major comparison industries. Personal finance clocked in at less than 3 million (average) visits per month over January and May 2015... Continued

The crisis in Greece has been making waves in Australia and around the world. For one thing, most of the world believed Greece, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the Eurozone finance ministers were going to strike a deal.

The deal in question was a loan of 7.2 billion Euros, which would help Greece pay outstanding loans. The loan was conditional upon a number of cuts and reforms designed to prevent similar situations from happening in the future... Continued

You’ve probably heard of ‘The Barefoot Investor', and for good reason. Scott Pape was voted ‘Australia’s most trusted finance expert’, he’s the finance guy on Channel 7 and radio station Triple M.

He has his own show on CNBC, which gets to 12 million viewers worldwide and he helps AFL and rugby league team understand wealth-creation... Continued

Western Australia is no longer Australia’s top performer in the economic-stakes, according to a recent report from CommSec.

New South Wales trumped our mineral-rich state, rising from number 3 to the number 1 spot.According to previous CommSec reports, WA had held the number 1 position since July 2011. What does this mean for WA? The findings should come as no surprise to many Australians, given the slow pace of the mining and construction sector.Mining production and home building has overtaken the traditionally strong economic player.WA remains second the list, along with the Northern Territory, which is also driven by mining-investment. Housing a key factor Momentum in NSW is largely due to its active housing sector.The market is said to be catching up after ‘under-building’ for many years. Queensland & Victoria Queensland and Victoria are in the second tier group, according to the CommSec report, with no significant difference in economic performance.Growth in Victoria has been capped by high unemployment, despite a home building sector driven by high population growth.Queensland is said to be constrained by slow population growth and a soft job market. The bottom 3 The ACT now joins South Australia and Tasmania in the third bracket, coming in after South Australia.The ACT is feeling the effects of a weak job market, not to mention a decrease in consumer confidence.The report does indicate that South Australia and Tasmania’s unemployment rates are easing, which is encouraging. For more economic insights visit our blog. Or for support with finding the right home loan in Australia, talk to a Capita mortgage broker... Continued