Borrowing Power
Negative Gearing Explained: How It Works & What It Really Costs
Negative gearing happens when your investment property costs more to hold than it…
Guides & Insights
Explainers on borrowing power, repayments, LMI and more — written for Australians.
Borrowing Power
Borrowing Power
Hidden Factors That Reduce Your Borrowing Power
How much can I borrow?” is the right first question — but the answer…
Borrowing Power
How Extra Income Can Affect Borrowing Power
How lenders may assess verified rental, employment and self-employed income…
LMI
Government 5% Deposit Home Guarantee – How It Works & What to Watch Out For
The Federal Government’s Home Guarantee Scheme lets eligible first-home buyers purchase with as little as a 5%…
Repayments
Fixed vs Variable Home Loans: How to Choose
Compare repayment certainty, flexibility, offset features and break-fee considerations…
Borrowing Power
Refinancing Your Home Loan: Is Switching Worth It?
Compare your current loan, a new rate and switching costs to estimate a break-even time…
Borrowing Power
Offset Accounts vs Redraw – Which Saves You More?
At a glance: Both offset accounts and redraw facilities reduce the interest you pay by lowering your effective loan…
Borrowing Power
Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI): Why Banks Use It
At a glance: Debt-to-Income ratio (DTI) compares your total debts to your annual income. Banks use…
Borrowing Power
RBA Interest Rate Decisions: What It Means for You
See how an RBA cash-rate decision can flow through to mortgage repayments and lender rates…
Borrowing Power
Car Loan verse House Equity
At a glance: Instead of taking a separate car loan, many homeowners draw on home equity. This can mean lower interest rates …
Borrowing Power
Stamp Duty on a $500,000 Property in Australia
At a glance: Buying a $500k home, stamp duty ranges from $8,800 in QLD up to $25,070 in VIC.…
First-home buyers
First Home Buyer Hub: Plan Your Purchase
Estimate borrowing power, deposit, stamp duty, LMI and repayments before you make an offer.
Borrowing Power
How Much Can I Borrow on $100k?
Earning $100,000 a year? See typical lender ranges and how to improve capacity…
Borrowing Power
How Much Can I Borrow on $80k?
On an $80,000 income, here’s what banks may offer and steps to lift borrowing power…
Repayments
Mortgage Repayments on a $600k Loan
Worked examples at current rates, plus tools to estimate your own repayments…
LMI
What Is Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)?
Understand when LMI applies, typical costs, and ways to reduce or avoid it…
Calculator
Refinance Break-Even Calculator
Compare a new home-loan offer with your current loan, including fees, switching costs and the balance still owing.
Repayments
Refinancing Hub: Compare Rates, Costs and Repayments
Work through a refinance using repayment, break-even and loan-feature checks.
Negative Gearing
Property Investor Hub: Model Rental Cashflow
Bring rent, vacancy, expenses, loan costs and tax effects into one practical check.
firsthome
Australian Government Home Buyer Schemes: 5% Deposit and Help to Buy
Compare the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy, including deposits, income limits, price caps and shared-equity trade-offs.
neggearing
Investment Property Cashflow: A Practical Australian Investor Check
Estimate rental income, loan costs, vacancy and expenses to understand the real cashflow pressure of an investment property.
neggearing
Investment Property Expenses: What to Budget For Before You Buy
Build a more realistic Australian investment-property budget by accounting for finance, vacancy, management, maintenance and ownership costs.
repayments
Home Loan Refinance Checklist: What to Compare Before You Switch
A practical Australian refinance checklist covering rates, loan features, documents, costs and the questions to ask before applying.
repayments
Refinancing Costs and Break-Even: Is a Lower Rate Worth Switching For?
Compare your likely refinance costs with monthly savings and work out a practical break-even point before you switch lenders.
borrowing
How HELP or HECS Debt Can Affect Your Borrowing Power
Learn why lenders look at your compulsory HELP repayment and how to model it without guessing your eligibility.
firsthome
First Home Buyer Costs in Australia: Build Your Upfront Budget
Plan for the deposit, stamp duty, legal work, inspections, LMI and moving costs before you make an offer.
stampduty
First Home Buyer Stamp Duty: How to Check Your Costs and Concessions
Learn how first-home buyer transfer-duty concessions work, why eligibility matters, and how to estimate costs safely.
firsthome
How Much Deposit Do You Need for a First Home in Australia?
Understand the trade-off between a bigger deposit, LMI, upfront costs and the time it takes to keep saving.
lmi
LMI for First Home Buyers: What It Is and How to Compare Your Options
Understand when Lenders Mortgage Insurance may apply, what it changes, and how to compare a smaller deposit with waiting longer.