There is a saying that is a useful one to adopt if you’re prone to worrying unnecessarily. It is, “Why don’t you save your worry until there is something to worry about?” It’s a useful mantra because sometimes in life there are times that rightly cause us to worry such as the illness of a…
Property stakeholders often feel a little nervous about a bank valuer visiting. After all, valuers show up, poke around and then send a verdict to the lender about whether the price paid, or estimate made, ‘stacks up to market’. It can feel like there’s bad news pending, particularly in a softer property price cycle like…
As a mortgage broking business operating in the personal finance space, we see a large group of clients, a diverse group of clients, whose money management skills span the spectrum from those who don’t have any experience to those who have a lot. The one thing all our clients have in common is a drive…
When you’re buying property in this market you need to move fast. Days on the market are short at the moment (although they are starting to stretch). Property prices are still rising, although the pace is slowing, and if you’re sifting through the available properties when you find “The One” you need to be ready…
You’d think by all of the media coverage on low interest rates and strengthening property markets that lending was equally as shiny at the moment. Sure, it is much better than it was a year or two ago, when lending was restricted, mainly because of stringent policies instigated by APRA (Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority). These…
The Australian home loan market is a vastly different place than it was a few decades ago. Today, there are a number of home loan products on the market designed to suit a range of financial circumstances. One of the these products is a home equity loan, which is a credit facility that taps into…
Arranging for a property valuation prior to purchase, or a valuation on a property you already own for refinancing is relatively straightforward. That said, it’s important to understand potential pitfalls associated with a valuation so you can brace for a possibly unfavourable outcome. If you are applying for a loan from a bank, they will…
When you buy real estate for the first time, you sometimes come across a bunch of unfamiliar terms. What’s conveyancing? What’s a pre-settlement inspection? What’s a trust account? And another term that is probably relatively unusual to new developers or investors is “easement”. So, in this article, we’ll outline what an easement on a…
Just about everywhere you look in Victoria, you’ll find someone struggling with housing – whether they own, want to buy, need to downsize, aspire to build, or are looking to rent. This is a grim snapshot of the current situation. Melbourne has the fourth least affordable housing market in the world, with a median dwelling price…
At the start of your property investment journey, it can be confusing. All your friends and family have well-intentioned opinions and “advice”, in today’s technological world there is a plethora of information available online. But so many different sources of intel can make start spinning until you don’t know your property pros from your property…