Home loan insights for Melbourne borrowers
Practical, current articles from a former senior credit officer: grants, rates, lender policy and what is actually happening in Melbourne's north. New posts every day.
From renting to owning: the budget shock checklist
Your repayment is only part of owning. Council rates, insurance, owners corporation fees, maintenance and a rate buffer all land a…
Sunbury vs Craigieburn for first home buyers: which suburb fits you?
Sunbury or Craigieburn for your first home? Compare lifestyle, trains, housing stock, new versus established and the grants and du…
Offset account vs paying down the loan: flexibility, discipline and tax
Cash in an offset or paid into the loan saves the same interest today. The real difference is flexibility, discipline and a tax tr…
SMSF property rules: what trustees must know before borrowing
SMSF property needs an LRBA, a bare trust, the single acquirable asset rule and the sole purpose test. Lender LVRs, costs and a wo…
Buying property with parents or siblings: structure, servicing and exit plans
Co-buying with parents or siblings in Victoria can double borrowing power. How tenants in common, joint liability, servicing and a…
Buying a home on a single income in Melbourne: a realistic plan
Buying on one income in Melbourne is realistic with the right loan size, scheme and property. Budgets, Help to Buy, guarantors and…
Help to Buy vs the First Home Guarantee: which is better for you?
Help to Buy or the First Home Guarantee? Compare deposits, income caps, loan sizes and monthly repayments on a $650,000 Melbourne …
RBA meeting on 29 September 2026: what borrowers should prepare for
A preview of the RBA's 29 September 2026 decision: cash rate 4.35%, CPI 3.5%, the big four split on timing, and what a 0.25% move …
Pre-approval expired: what happens now
Home loan pre-approvals usually last 90 days. What re-verification involves, how rate changes shift your figure, and how to renew …
Construction loan mistakes that delay your build (and how to avoid them)
The construction loan mistakes that stall Melbourne builds: progress payment errors, unfunded variations, contracts that are not f…
The auction finance checklist for Victoria
Victorian auctions have no cooling-off and an unconditional contract. Your finance checklist before auction day: approval, valuati…
How credit card limits cut your borrowing power (even if you never use the card)
Lenders count about 3.8% of your credit card limit as a monthly expense, so a $20,000 limit can cost $90,000 of borrowing power. W…
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