High-interest rates and shrinking household savings have seen lenders blacklist a wave of 20 suburbs they consider more risky for mortgage lending. Mortgage repayments have surged since last May when the Reserve Bank began hiking interest rates from a rock bottom of 0.1% to the 4.1% kept on hold for October. Many Aussies have suffered…
How does the rising cost of living affect Aussies’ banking behaviour? Well, according to Finder’s new research, trust in traditional banks is growing with more Aussies saying they bank with the big four. Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker shows a staggering 4 in 5 Australians (80%) – 16.2 million people – bank with one of the…
Aussies seem to be continuing to put their credit card spending on hold. In fact, new data from the RBA reveals that Australia’s total credit card debt has dropped for the third month in a row, this time by $88.1 million. The drop in this month’s figures is, at least partially, due to individuals using…
There’s no denying that buying a home is a big decision and yet you may be surprised by the number of people who are influenced by factors other than price, resale value, and location. From the number of a house to a lick of new paint on the walls, it seems we are influenced by…
It probably won’t come as a great revelation, but insurance can be complex. Like other financial products and legal contracts, there can be a lot to wrap your head around. This complexity can result in some misunderstandings. When it comes to protecting your investment property, you don’t want to have any misconceptions derailing your decisions….
What will Australia look like in 40 years’ time? Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the latest Intergenerational Report a short while ago. This report from the federal government predicts what the country will look like in 40 years and the state of the nation’s finances. Today’s conversation with Simon Kuestenmacher revolves around the report, which…
We haven’t fallen of the “fixed rate cliff “and we’re not getting a load of forced or distressed property sales. The resilience of household borrowers in the face of surging interest rates has surprised Reserve Bank researchers. In fact most Australian households have successfully manage increased mortgage repayments, according to the recently published Financial Stability…
Too many people consider life as a game of Monopoly. They think they can gamble on property, or the share market, without the right knowledge or advice. But unlike the famous board game, there is no miraculous pot of money in real life that we can dip into whenever we need it. Launching yourself into…
Short-term resales have emerged as a major housing market trend in 2023. New CoreLogic analysis shows that in winter, 16% of listings added to the market for sale had been owned for less than three years. This marks a series high going back to 2008, where the 15-year average proportion is less than half that…
Taking control of your personal finances and getting rich is simple, but it’s not easy. And that’s not a play on words. It’s simple if you know how, but not easy because of our bad money habits. New York Times columnist, author, and financial planner Carl Richards regularly had his articles published on Property Update. I asked him…
