Buying a first home has been progressively harder over the years, largely due to rising house prices and lower affordability. But 2020 changed all of that. Buoyed by historic low interest rates, a lack of investors in market, and significant government incentives, first home buyers look set to dominate the property market in 2021.

2020 was a curve-ball year like no other! Not only did COVID-19 change the way we socialize, work and learn, interestingly, it also changed the way we spend and save. A surprising outcome of the pandemic year is the growing number of Australians who are saving more and spending less. Did you notice a change in your spending and saving habits too?

After working through a pandemic year and Australia’s first recession in 30 years, many Australians are wondering what lies ahead in 2021. What is the forecast for Australia’s property market? Will real estate prices continue to rise? We asked some of our mortgage brokers for their predictions for Australia’s property market in 2021. Here’s what they think.

In its December 2020 meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia left its cash rate unchanged at a record low 0.1 per cent. While that’s bad news for your savings account, it’s good news if you’re a homeowner. The big question now is whether to lock in your home loan repayments by switching to a fixed rate mortgage. Before you decide, here are some important things to consider.

Fixed interest rates have continued to drop this year with some now close to the 2% mark or lower, while variable interest rates have tracked further downwards too albeit at a slower pace. Earlier in November 2020, the Reserve Bank of Australia dropped the cash rate to a new record low, and the Reserve Bank governor urged borrowers to renegotiate or switch lenders if they don’t get a rate cut. Read on to find out why interest rates matter.

For many Australian first home buyers, 2020 has been a year of opportunity. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), around 13,040 first-home buyer loans were approved across Australia in September alone, largely as a result of record low interest rates, backed by several government initiatives. If you’re in the market for the first time, here’s a closer look at what benefits you may be eligible for.

Need to crunch your numbers in a hurry? Take a look at the range of online calculators on the Mortgage Express website. Whether you need to calculate how much you could borrow, what your repayments would look like, how much your stamp duty could cost, or how much you could save with an offset account or a split loan, work it all out online using these handy calculators. Here’s an outline of what each calculator does.

Mortgage brokering has traditionally been regarded as a male-dominated industry, but is now seeing a growing number of women stepping into these finance roles. This month we’re celebrating the achievements of just some of the women making their mark in the mortgage brokering industry right here at Mortgage Express, with some insight into why they do what they do.

Every time you apply for credit, spend using credit, or make (or miss) a repayment on a loan or a utility bill, you influence your credit score. In turn, your credit score is used by lenders to determine whether or not to give you more credit. That’s why keeping a good credit score is so important. It can mean the difference between an approval or a decline next time you apply for a loan. So, when did you last check your credit score? And do you know how creditworthy you are?

While Government’s $25,000 HomeBuilder Grant has already been snapped up by many Australians planning a new home build or a substantial home renovation, first home buyers looking to use Homebuilder to enter the property market, have been left feeling frustrated at not being able to factor the grant into their loan application. If you’re in a similar situation, we have some tips on what to do.