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How well do you know your finance jargon? Take our quiz!

The finance industry has a bunch of acronyms and abbreviations that can make the home buying process a little confusing. But they’re not as difficult to understand as you might think. Take our short quiz to see how many you can answer! Below we’ve listed eight commonly used acronyms and abbreviations in the mortgage and finance industry. So grab a pen and some paper and test out that noggin of yours! Quiz time We’ll give you one point for each…...
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Freedom to move: stamp duty reforms gain momentum

Stamp duty: two of the most dreaded words in the world of property and finance. Fortunately, NSW and Victoria have unveiled some big changes to the inefficient tax this week, and there’s hope it’ll inspire other states to review their own stamp duty arrangements. If you’re unfamiliar with stamp duty, it’s basically a state/territory government tax you pay on certain transactions, such as a car or piece of real estate. How much it costs depends on what state you’re buying…...
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Want to know how much your neighbours paid for their first homes?

First home buyers wanting to crack into the property market can now use an interactive map to see how much their neighbours spent on average for their first home. Snoopy snoop! Everyone loves having a bit of a sticky-beak. After all, we’re only human. And this interactive map, which is being run by the federal government’s NHFIC, allows you to see how much your neighbours spent on average for their first home. It also shows how much your first-home-buying neighbours…...
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Switch lenders if rate cut is not passed on: RBA

Mortgage holders and business operators are being encouraged by the RBA to switch lenders if their bank doesn’t pass on the latest cash rate cut. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) delivered mortgage holders and business operators a Melbourne Cup Day win by cutting the official cash rate by 15 basis points to a new record low of 0.10%. Better yet, the RBA board says it’s "not expecting to increase the cash rate for at least three years”. However, there…...
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RBA trims cash rate to new record low 0.10%

If you didn’t back a winner on Melbourne Cup Day then fret not: the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has delivered mortgage holders a win by cutting the official cash rate by 15 basis points to a new record low of 0.10%. RBA Governor Philip Lowe says the cash rate cut is part of a package of measures to support job creation and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Given the outlook for both employment and inflation, monetary and fiscal…...
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House prices tipped to surge 15%, RBA hints at cash rate cut

Strap yourself in: Australian house prices are tipped to experience a mild COVID-19 dip before surging 15% over the following two years, according to some of the nation's top economists. And in more good news for homeowners, RBA Deputy Governor Guy Debelle has hinted at further reductions to interest rates, while not going into negative territory. Both NAB and Westpac economists have been quick to jump on board the rate cut hype train, predicting the RBA could cut the cash…...
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Lenders begin contacting borrowers who have deferred loans

If you’ve deferred your home or business loan then it’s likely your bank will reach out to you in the coming weeks. Here’s what to expect and what options are available to you. As the initial wave of six-month loan payment deferrals comes to an end, banks have started contacting customers to discuss the next step, which could include further support, assistance or deferral. Of the more than 900,000 loans which have been deferred during the pandemic, at least 450,000…...
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Property ranked as best investment option right now by experts.

You’ve heard the saying ‘safe as houses’, right? Well, it seems that old adage may ring true even in the current pandemic, with many of the nation’s top economic experts saying that’s where they’d put their money right now. A Finder survey asked 28 leading experts and economists to weigh in on future cash rate moves and other issues related to the state of the Australian economy. When asked: “Where do you think is the best place to invest your…...
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Property ranked as the best investment option right now by experts.

You’ve heard the saying ‘safe as houses’, right? Well, it seems that old adage may ring true even in the current pandemic, with many of the nation’s top economic experts saying that’s where they’d put their money right now. A Finder survey asked 28 leading experts and economists to weigh in on future cash rate moves and other issues related to the state of the Australian economy. When asked: “Where do you think is the best place to invest your…...
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Homeowners refinancing in record-high numbers: explore your options

Homeowners in record-high numbers are taking advantage of reduced interest rates and competitive refinancing offers. Are you ready to take the leap?  When times are tough, the belt gets tightened. And we’ve seen that play out across the country in a big way recently, with the number of Australian families who refinanced their mortgage in May the highest on record, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). In fact, 33,712 Australians refinanced a whopping $15…...
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