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16 articles
The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index slid to 84.4 in September, and the fall was concentrated almost entirely among households with a mortgage. Here is what is driving it and what borrowers can actually do.
The June quarter national accounts, released 2 September 2026, show an economy growing 0.4% for the quarter and households putting away 6.5% of their income. Cautious households cut both ways for the RBA, and the next cash rate call is only weeks away.
The RBA has held the cash rate steady, yet a string of lenders quietly cut home loan rates in late July 2026 to fight for refinancers. Here is what moved, why it is happening, and how to check whether your loan is still competitive.
The RBA held the cash rate at 4.35% in June, but underlying inflation is edging higher and the June quarter CPI lands within days. Economists are split on whether the Reserve Bank hikes again on 11 August. Here is what is at stake for your mortgage.
Three rate rises in early 2026 pushed the cash rate back to 4.35%, its highest since 2023, wiping out last year's cuts. The RBA then held in June. Here is what the hold means for mortgage holders before the next decision in August.
When the RBA cuts the cash rate, your mortgage repayments can fall. The catch is that lenders do not always pass the full cut on, and not always quickly. Here is how to check and what to do.
A mortgage broker compares loans across many lenders and is usually paid by the lender, not you. A bank only offers its own products. Here is how to decide which path suits your situation, deposit and patience.
The advertised lowest rate is rarely the one you end up paying. Here is how to read past the headline number, compare the comparison rate, weigh fixed against variable, and avoid the loyalty tax, with current Australian context.
A home loan calculator turns a loan amount, interest rate and term into a monthly repayment in seconds. Useful, but it assumes a constant rate and ignores the buffer, fees and LMI that decide what you actually pay. Here is how to read one properly.
Everything an Australian buyer or owner needs to weigh up a home loan in 2026: borrowing power, the deposit and LMI, fixed versus variable, offset accounts, refinancing, and the costs nobody warns you about. Each section links to a full breakdown.
A guarantor home loan can get you into a home years sooner and skip Lenders Mortgage Insurance, by leaning on a parent's equity. But the person guaranteeing it takes on real risk. Here is how the arrangement works, when the guarantee is released, and what every guarantor should weigh before signing.
Fixed gives you repayment certainty but less flexibility. Variable moves with the market and comes with an offset and redraw. Here is how to weigh the two, when each one wins, and what split loans and break costs really mean for Australian borrowers.
Refinancing means swapping your current home loan for a new one, usually to get a lower rate or better features. Here is when it pays off, what it costs, and the step-by-step process, with current Australian figures.
Lenders Mortgage Insurance can add a few thousand dollars to a small loan, or well past $20,000 on a big one with a tiny deposit. Here is what LMI actually is, who it protects (spoiler: not you), and the legitimate ways to dodge or shrink it.
An offset account is a transaction or savings account linked to your home loan, and the balance sitting in it is offset against your loan so you are charged less interest. Here is how an offset works, how it stacks up against redraw, when it justifies a slightly dearer loan, and the traps to watch.
How much can I borrow for a home loan in Australia? As a rough start, many households land around five to six times their gross income, but the real figure depends on your expenses, debts, deposit and the rate buffer lenders apply. Here is what drives borrowing power and how to get a number you can trust.