News and Blog

News and Blog

Open House Inspections

Feb 21st, 2018 • Industry News

What to Look for at an Open House

Could a Deposit Bond Help You?

Feb 5th, 2018 • Industry NewsHome Loans

Could a Deposit Bond Help You?

6 Questions to Ask Your Mortgage Broker

Jan 15th, 2018 • Industry NewsHome Loans


Decoration Ideas for Christmas

Dec 8th, 2017 • Industry News

Create an unconventional tree

If you feel like a change this Christmas, why not invent your own tree? Pinterest has plenty of great ideas, like dressing up a ladder as a Christmas tree or using driftwood to create a rustic-looking tree display. Check out the effect here.

Go big with your light display

Instead of spending a fortune on the electricity bill with miles of rope lights, why not turn your pad into a light show spectacular the easy and inexpensive way, with cool options like Target’s Snow Flurry Lightshow Projector, which blasts a bright swirling display of snowflakes onto your home. Otherwise, you could opt for something more subtle. For example, you could line walkways with luminary bags or lanterns to create an ambient effect. Here's some inspiration.

Make your own snow globes

If you have small children, they are going to love this one! DIY snow globes are easy to make and a great way to create festive cheer. All you need is a small glass jar, a plastic figurine of something Christmassy, glycerin, glitter, water and glue. Simply glue the figurine to the inside of the jar lid, fill it with water and glycerin, add a couple of teaspoons of glitter, screw the lid back on and glue it down if necessary. There you have it, Christmas cheer in a jar! You can even make a winter wonderland terrarium by adding small twigs, pinecones, and cotton wool to the jar and leaving out the water.

Make merry in the throne-room

Why not dress up your toilet with Christmas cheer and give your guests something to talk about? You could make a Santa toilet lid cover and toilet mat, or if you really want to impress them with your Christmas cheer, invest in an LED toilet bathroom night light like this one, available on eBay. It’s motion activated, so your guests won’t have to stumble around in the dark looking for the light switch.

Jazz up your front door

Have you heard of Christmas front door covers? We hadn’t either, but apparently you can give your house a Christmas facelift with a front door mural. There are some really high-quality designs available, and what’s great is that they are removable and reusable. Banners come in all different colours and feature everything from the big man in red to Christmas trees and nativity scenes. Click here to check them out.

What else would be fun for Christmas?

How about a new family car, boat or a jet-ski? Buying that dream home or investment property you’ve always wanted would also be a great reason to celebrate with your family.

We are here to help you have yourself a merry little Christmas indeed, with a loan for a new home or investment, or tailored finance to fit your other purchasing needs. Please give us a call today!

How to Buy a Home When you’re Self-Employed

Nov 27th, 2017 • Industry NewsHome LoansInvestments

How to buy a home when you’re self-employed

What Counts as Genuine Savings

Nov 23rd, 2017 • Home Loans

What counts as genuine savings in a loan application?

Right Time to Buy Your First Home

Nov 13th, 2017 • Industry NewsHome Loans

Objection 1: "I don’t have a big enough deposit"

If you’ve been working hard to save a deposit and feel like it’s never going to be big enough, we have some exciting news for you! Size doesn’t always matter, especially not in this scenario. Being approved for a home loan is not necessarily dependant on how much of a deposit you have, but rather your capacity to repay the mortgage. There are all sorts of options available to aspiring homeowners who don’t have a 20% deposit.
Some lenders still offer home loans for up to 95% of the purchase price. The borrowing criteria can be more stringent than other types of loans, but if you have a clear credit history, stable employment, a solid income, minimal debt and are in a good asset position, you may qualify. Most home loan providers will want to see evidence you’ve saved at least 5% of the purchase price, and you may have to pay Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance with this type of loan – but you’ll have your foot on the property ladder! Speak to us to find out whether this kind of loan could work for you.
Another way to get a foot on the property ladder could be to ask your parents or a family member to be your guarantor. This is when they use the equity in their property as security for your loan. The right time to buy your first home is as soon as you can afford to do so!

Objection 2: "I think the market will downturn"

Whilst the property market does go up and down in cycles, "timing the market" is not as important as "time IN the market". The sooner you buy a property, the sooner it will be possible for it to start to experience capital growth (which is the term we use to describe how much your property goes up in value whilst you own it).
There is always a possibility that your property will go down in value after you purchase it. However, you need to remember it has only gone down in value ‘on paper’ – you won’t actually lose any money unless you sell it. Market fluctuations are common and it is likely it will have recovered in value by the time you want to sell.
Choosing the right home in the right location can help protect against property market fluctuations and improve your chances of long-term capital growth. When you locate a property you’re interested in buying, we can help you check its capital growth potential with a free property market report – so please ask us.

Objection 3: "I can’t afford a home where I would want to live"

Most people don’t get to buy their dream home the first time around - it’s a goal you can work towards once you get on the property ladder. If you can’t afford to buy your dream home in your preferred location, you could look for something in another location, consider a smaller property that’s more affordable, or opt for a fixer-upper that has potential but just needs a little love. Another option that’s becoming increasingly popular is to rent-vest – rent where you want to live and buy an investment property somewhere else. That way, you can grow your nest egg to enable you to eventually buy the home you want.
There’s no time like the present to chat with us about your plans and finance options. Please get in touch and we’ll explain your borrowing capacity, home loan options and help you get pre-approval on your loan so you can start looking for a property to buy sooner.

This article provides general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. Your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or product. This article does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances. Subject to lenders terms and conditions, fees and charges and eligibility criteria apply.

First Meeting with Your Finance Broker

Oct 23rd, 2017 • Industry NewsHome LoansVehicle FinanceInvestmentsBusiness Loans

 What to expect from your first meeting with your Finance Broker

What is the Best Time of the Year to Sell Your Home?

Oct 12th, 2017 • Industry News


6 Little-Known Strategies for First Home Buyers

Oct 10th, 2017 • Industry NewsHome Loans