Do you have a grip on your finances?
Do you know how much you owe, what your super balance is or what interest rates are around right now? If you don’t, you’re not alone.
SCOTT SHANKS BLOG
As home finance experts, we love keeping Australians like you up to speed on finance news, home advice and tips to grow your wealth.
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More and more people are using brokers
Mortgage brokers are being used now more than ever. Why is this happening?
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Is now the time for first home buyers?
If you’re a first home buyer with your finances in order and a good credit record - the odds are in your favour! If the data is anything to go by, opportunities will only get better.
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The Ultimate First Home Buyer’s Knowledge Toolkit
From saving for a deposit to the sales process, buying your first home involves detailed steps. Learn about it all with this guide from Loan Market.
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Royal Commission revelations: who do I work for?
On September 28, Commissioner Kenneth Hayne released his interim report into the Banking and Finance industry which, at this stage, raises more questions than answers. The final report is due out in February, 2019 however with all the media commentary over the weekend, I thought I’d take the oppo...
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This is in your interest
A certain “set and forget” mentality slips in with mortgages. Money leaves your account to nibble on your mortgage. Meanwhile, you get on with other things. But here’s the question — if you have an interest only mortgage (IO) when does it switch to principal and interest (P&I)?
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The challenges facing residential prices
After five years of stunning price growth, Australian residential property prices have just fallen for the eleventh month in a row according to a recent report from Core Logic.
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Negative gearing, capital gains and a possible Labor victory
With the recent leadership spill - many questions have been raised. What does it mean for Australians and the housing market? Two things come to mind…
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Rates are rising, but who will join the party?
Westpac has broken the rate rise stalemate between the Big4 when it decided to raise home loan interest rates. With the official cash rate staying put by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and 3 of the Big4 now with a rate rise in play, who else will play copy cat and hike up their rates too?
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Bank or broker? Who should help you with your loan.
While there’s a lot to know when it comes to getting competitive, hassle-free advice on a loan, the question remains do you go with your bank or a mortgage broker?
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Brush that mortgage out of your hair
Paying off your mortgage becomes second nature, like walking your dog or cleaning your teeth. But should you look at how you could pay it off sooner?
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National real estate snapshot
Australia's housing market has been running at full pelt since 2012 and is now taking a breather. Spectacular growth can be interesting with some sale prices below purchase prices.
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Up-to-the-minute RBA
The RBA minutes are published two weeks after each meeting and, while they’re probably not recommended as fascinating holiday reading, they do provide great insight into the rationale of decisions and how the RBA board sees the economic future of Australia.