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.

Living through a pandemic has changed most of us. From the way we work, to the way we communicate with those around us, to the things we used to do but can no longer do. Following on from last month’s article, which drew inspiration from Gilbert Enoka, this month Vicky Devine caught up with Christine Penford, top 10 Mortgage Express Finance Consultant for 2020. Christine shared her learnings from lockdown and we recorded an account of Vicky’s questions and Christine’s responses.

Negative interest rates are already being used in countries like Switzerland, Denmark and Japan, and there’s been some talk about a similar strategy here in Australia. A potential solution to stimulate an economy floundering in the wake of COVID-19, negative interest rates would make borrowing money much cheaper, but saving money more expensive, the opposite of what we have right now. As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, we asked the question, what would happen if Australia had negative interest rates?

In these uncertain times, it’s not surprising so many Australians are being tempted by debt management firms promising a quick-fix solution, an end to crippling debt, and a way out of potential bankruptcy. Unfortunately, many of these businesses operate with little to no financial experience and no regulatory oversight, and their solutions can leave many people worse off in the long term. If you’re considering seeking a financial solution to your spiralling debt situation, it’s vital you heed this warning.