Money
Borrowing
Homeowners on alert as fixed-rate mortgages rise
Homeowners with variable-rate mortgages who want to lock in record-low interest rates may need to move quickly, with lenders hiking their four- and five-year fixed rates.
- by John Collett
Latest
Opinion
Property prices
Return of property investors raises questions for regulators
With the house price boom showing few signs of cooling, it may soon be time for regulators to place restrictions on mortgage lending.
- by Clancy Yeates
Opinion
Home loans
Why I’ve locked in my home loan for two years at 1.84 per cent
Having vowed back in March to secure a home loan with a “1” per cent interest rate, I’m happy to share that I’ve finally been approved at a fixed rate of 1.84 per cent.
- by Jessica Irvine
Opinion
Home loans
Five ways to avoid paying extortionate lenders’ mortgage insurance
The cost of lenders’ mortgage insurance is extortionate and can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
The $28,000 home that could have been our goldmine
My parents paid off their mortgage two years early. Imagine that.
- by Monica Dux
Analysis
First-home buyers
Super scheme little value if you want to buy property now
The sad reality for government is that there is no magic bullet to make housing more affordable to the tens of thousands of people who feel shut out of the property market by soaring prices.
- by Noel Whittaker
Opinion
Home loans
Top mortgages in the market for owner-occupiers, investors
The cheapest mortgages are offered by non-banks or are loans that are not “white-labelled” major bank products. However, they are not necessarily the best.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Opinion
Credit cards
‘Bad debt’ shunned as credit card balances plunge
COVID-19 appears to have accelerated the shift away from credit card debt. That’s good news for customers, if it lasts.
- by Clancy Yeates
Opinion
Property prices
Speculators back in the game to push up property prices
Having kept a low profile during the pandemic, investors are now returning to the market with gusto. And that means home prices will continue to be pushed higher.
- by Elizabeth Knight
Opinion
Credit cards
How will a balance transfer affect your credit score?
Don’t shop around too much for credit. Determine the best product first and then apply for just one.
- by Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
House price rise growth shows signs of slowing
The pace of price growth could slow due to worsening housing affordability, higher fixed-rate mortgage interest and a possible tightening of lending standards.
- by John Collett