Some tips and tricks to paying off your home loan sooner. Buying a home is likely the most significant financial transaction you’ll ever make. So it stands to reason that your home loan will be your largest ongoing financial obligation. Imagine what life would be like without that monthly or fortnightly strain on your income? […]
Hide in a cupboard, launch an escape pod or retreat to the garage – you may have more options than you think to create a peaceful home office. If we’ve learned anything in the past 12 months, it’s that study nooks no longer cut the mustard. They may be great for paying a few bills
It may be an admirable trait in personal relationships, but in financial matters, loyalty can come at a cost. Sticking with the same loan longer than three years can cost borrowers thousands, with competition to win business resulting in new customers paying lower rates than existing ones. This so-called loyalty tax has become such a
Navigating the dos and don’ts of investment property returns. Rental properties and holiday homes are once again in the sights of the Australian Tax Office, which has had growing success identifying erroneous claims. Last year about 70 per cent of returns related to investment properties audited by the ATO had to be amended, most often
Renovating for profit can be a tricky business in a cooling market. But it’s more a science than an art if you know the pitfalls. Here are six common mistakes to avoid. 1. Not having a plan This obvious but common error is responsible for a host of renovating sins, from paying too much in
Who knew selling eggs at the garden gate could void your home insurance? Apparently not many people, including the Victorian homeowners who have found themselves at the centre of an insurance nightmare that should prompt everyone with a side hustle to check their coverage. It seems having an Australian Business Number (ABN) registered to your
It’s the ultimate property conundrum – buy or rent? The answer is: it depends. Annoying, right? But don’t be discouraged. It’s not an impossible question to answer. It just means the key factors you need to consider – prices, rent, interest rates – are constantly shifting. It’s worth diving into the data, however, because choosing
2023 will ring in changes to stamp duty and home-buyer schemes around the country. Here’s a quick fly-over of shifts at national and State level set to kick in this year. NATIONAL Help to Buy The Albanese Government’s flagship housing policy Help to Buy is expected to launch in July this year. But legislation has yet
Up until a year ago credit reports for individuals in Australia worked on the basis that good news was no news. In other words, credit reporting only looked at the negatives, highlighting financial failings – such as defaults on loans and bankruptcies – without any acknowledgment of fiscal achievements. Since March 12 last year, amendments
A record 101,000 properties — or around one in five of those put on the market in Australia last year — went to auction1. And while clearance rates vary between markets, there is no denying plenty of buyers are willing to go head-to-head with the hammer. Onsite or in a room, auctions can be both