Rising interest rates got you feeling a little vulnerable? It might be time to take some control back by refinancing or asking for a rate review. Here’s why we’re seeing refinancing numbers surge across the country. In just two months we’ve seen the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increase the...
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RBA increases cash rate for second consecutive month, to 0.85%
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 0.85%. How much extra should you expect to pay on your home loan? Today’s cash rate hike is the second in as many months, with the RBA last month increasing the official cash...
Banks tighten lending, reducing the maximum you can borrow
Some of Australia’s biggest banks have tightened their mortgage lending criteria, meaning you might not be able to borrow as much from them. How might this affect your next purchase? This week ANZ lowered a key lending cap, indicating it will no longer lend to borrowers with a debt-to-income (DTI)...
Bulk of SMEs preparing for growth over next 12 months: research
Small businesses around the nation are once again confident about their future and ready to start driving toward their next phase of growth, according to new research. The research, carried out by small business lender Prospa, found that 81% of Aussie SMEs expect their businesses to grow over the next 12...
ATO hit list: rental property income and capital gains
Property investors beware: the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has revealed the four key areas it will be targeting this tax year, and rental property income/deductions and capital gains are high on the hit list. Tax office Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh says this tax season the ATO will be targeting four key...
The two major parties’ first home buyer policies explained
Housing affordability is one of the key battlegrounds ahead of the federal election this Saturday. So what is each of the two major parties proposing to help first home buyers crack the market? Let’s take a look. Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty, we’d like to stress that we’ll...