The Process: 1.It is important to work out what you can comfortably afford. To do this accurately an in-depth budget should be completed NEVER OVER COMMIT. 2.Determine who you will approach for advice on the various loans available. The fees, charges and how much you are able to borrow....
GUIDE TO THE TYPES OF HOME LOANS Mortgage managers, banks, credit unions, brokers, insurance groups all offer a seemingly endless choice of loan options – introductory rates, standard variable rates, fixed rates, redraw facilities, lines of credit loans and interest only loans, the list...
IT’S MORE THAN THE INTEREST RATE You may have heard it said before, but the right mortgage for you is not necessarily the one with the lowest interest rate. We are constantly bombarded by lenders advertising their rates not products. Which would be fine if all loan products were the...
What to look for at an open house There’s an old saying that you should never judge a book by its cover, and this is true for houses – after all, who would buy one having never seen more than the front door? Open inspections are opportunities to really flick through the pages, and...
A SOLICITOR OR A CONVEYANCER A conveyancer is a solicitor, but just deals with property, right? Wrong. The two are different, and it is important to have the right one on your team, in order to avoid paying too much while still getting the advice you need. Buying property is one of the biggest...
HOME LOAN PRE-APPROVAL For those getting ready to stride into the world of home ownership, the uncertainties of pre-approval can cast a shadow of doubt over an otherwise exciting time. When is it necessary? How long does it last? And what does it involve, exactly? Pre-approval is a...
Q&A: PEST INSPECTIONS Pest inspections are an essential part of the home-buying process. Mortgage and Finance Help spoke to Justin Hammerschmidt, an Inspector at Sydney PrePurchase, about what pest inspectors are looking for and how to interpret their reports. Q What pest inspections need...
HOW TO NEGOTIATE THE BEST PROPERTY PRICE Negotiating the best property price isn’t a matter of swindling a seller. It’s about doing your homework, knowing what you want, knowing the market and making sensible offers. When you are buying property, getting the best price can mean the...
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE While spring is renowned as the time that sellers dust off their properties and place them on the market, this doesn’t mean it is necessarily the best time for buyers to go shopping. One of the biggest issues with shopping in spring is the flood of...
By John McGrath With so many great renovating and home decorating shows on TV these days, it’s no wonder people get inspired to make over their own homes. But ripping out entire rooms – which is what we usually see on TV – is not always required to achieve a great new...