On Melbourne Cup Day at the November board meeting the Monetary Policy Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the official cash rate to 4.85%, the highest level since 2008. The Reserve Bank has hiked rates for the fifth time this year, from 4.6% to 4.85%, in a bid to regain control of…
Refinancing your home loan can be a smart way to make sure your loan continues to suit your needs — but knowing where to start can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re looking for a more competitive interest rate, different loan features, lower repayments, access to equity or simply want to see what else is available,…
Want to own property, but can’t afford — or don’t want to buy — where you actually want to live? Rentvesting could offer another way into the property market. Instead of buying a home to live in, rentvestors purchase an investment property in an area that suits their budget and investment goals, while continuing to…
The festive season is a time for celebrating, catching up with family and friends, enjoying good food and, of course, giving a few gifts along the way. But between presents, Christmas parties, entertaining, holidays and end-of-year sales, it can also be an expensive time of year. A little planning now can help you enjoy the…
Buying a home on your own can feel like you’re playing the property game on hard mode. One income. One deposit to save. One person covering the bills. Meanwhile, couples may have two incomes and two sets of savings to bring to the table. It’s sometimes referred to as the “single tax” — the idea…
The festive season is a time to celebrate, reconnect and enjoy a well-earned break — but it can also be one of the busiest and most expensive times of the year. Christmas presents, celebrations, holidays, entertaining and end-of-year sales can all add up quickly. And with regular household expenses continuing in the background, it’s easy…
Whether you’re buying your first home, upgrading, investing or refinancing, there can be a lot to think about when it comes to your home loan. Interest rates, lender policies, borrowing capacity, valuations, paperwork and loan features can all play a part — and what works for one borrower may not necessarily work for another. That’s…
Christmas is a time for catching up with family and friends, summer holidays, celebrations and giving — but all that festive fun can put extra pressure on the household budget. Between presents, food, entertaining, travel and school holiday activities, it’s easy for spending to creep up without really noticing. The good news? You don’t need…
At the September board meeting the Monetary Policy Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the official cash rate to a 15-year high of 4.60%. The official cash rate is now at its highest level since November 2011. Australia’s July inflation came in hotter than expected, with trimmed mean inflation, the RBA’s preferred…
The Monetary Policy Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has announced that it will hold the official cash rate steady at its current level of 4.35 per cent. The decision, announced on Tuesday afternoon (16 June), was broadly forecast by major bank economists and financial markets, and pauses the current tightening cycle, which first began in…