Trade rates coming off the boil

Trade contractor prices have eased thanks to an influx of skilled tradespeople, the Housing Industry Association’s (HIA) Austral Bricks Trade report has found. Read More »

Interest rate rise on the horizon

Coinciding with the experts’ suggestion that the worst of the recession is behind us, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has indicated that interest rates  will  rise in the coming months. Read More »

Looking for home loan specials?

What are home loan specials?

Home loan specials can be considered as promotional offers or packages that applicants could avail when applying for home loans. Although offered by most financial institutions, not all lenders have home loan specials.

Because of the big impact of home loans on the financial situation of applicants, banks and financial institutions have crafted a way by which people could get the best deals when it comes to such loans. Thus, the birth of home loan specials. Read More »

Property Hotspots

Property hotspots: Aim to buy the best property at the lowest price

Regardless of whether you are purchasing property for occupation or for investment, your aim should always be to buy the best property at the lowest price. But don’t just buy it anywhere, suss out the locations that should give you the best long term growth and rents. The combination of buying the best property at the lowest price with the potential for best capital growth should be your minimum requirement when starting your search. Read More »

Housing Affordability in Australia

(This article looks at housing affordability on a national basis, covering data available as at March 2009 and analysing each state and territory individually. Historical data back to 1986 is also included.)

QUESTION:

Why is it that you can buy your dream home in one region of Australia for far less than in another region? Not just in different states but in different regional areas within states?

What drives market house prices? The answer is many things, but a few have considerable influence on the amount of money you have to pay for a house in the area you want to live.  Some major factors are: Read More »

Major bank borrowers paying too much

(source: Herald Sun)

AUSTRALIAN home loan borrowers are paying an extra $2.7 billion a year in repayments because they don’t shop around.

Despite the major banks charging higher interest rates than smaller lenders, about 90 per cent of home buyers still choose one of the more expensive big four banks, according to financial research company InfoChoice.

After this week’s interest rate increases by the major banks, more than 60 other lenders had cheaper home loan rates, the research found. Read More »

New housing boom set to go through the roof

(source: Sydney Morning Herald)

As New South Wales recorded its lowest figures for construction of new homes, developers have predicted the worst is over and the state is on the verge of a housing boom.

Bureau of Statistics data for the three months to March showed the number of new housing starts has fallen to 5400, down from 7500 in the same period last year and 11,000 five years ago. Read More »