Your home is probably the most expensive thing you’ll ever purchase, but what if you made a mistake about what sort of property would make you happy? Professor Michael Norton from Harvard Business School, co-author of Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending, says when choosing a home, many of us unwisely prioritise physical aspects. “It can be wiser to spend time and […]
Time to review household debt
Fuelled by rising house prices and low interest rates, the level of personal debt in Australia is relatively high compared to many other countries.i The largest proportion of this debt is often used to purchase a valuable asset – the family home. With careful planning, you might be able to control your household debt and […]
Important Changes to Lending Practices
With the Royal Commission and recent changes to lending practices it’s more important than ever to understand your credit score and borrowing capacity. Understand your credit score Some of the nation’s largest financial institutions have all started collecting customers’ positive credit information, including how many open credit accounts you have, how much debt you are […]
6 ways to navigate your finances in your 40s
Although marriage, mortgage, and young children may have characterised your 30s, your 40s often feature growing responsibilities and ever-competing priorities. Your parents are older, your mortgage is still on foot, children’s education costs are growing, and though retirement may seem a distant reality, planning for that reality becomes an important consideration. The good news is […]
Ten Things To Help You Feel Financially Protected
Imagine feeling financially protected, well here are the 10 things I can help you with: Manage your cash flow It’s a simple statement to say that you’ll never get ahead if you spend more than you earn, yet in many households spending more than you earn is what happens on a regular basis. Your adviser […]
Drawing up a budget to buy a new home
Buying a house is probably the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make; you don’t want to make it without planning thoroughly. So let’s talk about budget. Unless you’ve got major plans like owning a large business or something of that nature, it doesn’t get much bigger than owning your own piece of residential property. This […]
Is a split-rate home loan the best option for you?
Once you decide you need a home loan to fully finance your real estate purchase, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the options you see in front of you. How much of the price of your home will you pay out of pocket, and how much will you need in the form of loans? […]
Can you afford to begin investing in Australian property?
By investing in property, you can add to your portfolio with a commodity that’s stable and likely to increase in value. But can you afford to act now? For many Australians who have the means, investing in property is a great move for one’s financial future. Buying real estate represents a way to add to […]
Everything equity for property amateurs
Equity often gets touted as the key to any given borrower’s future. Here, we provide a brief outline of what equity is and what you can do with it. If you’ve spoken with a mortgage lender or any other self-professed property expert they will tell you the equity in your home is the key to […]
How certain are you about your current mortgage?
How certain are you that your current mortgage is the best value for money in the current market? If you are with one of the big banks I’m confident you may not have the best deal around. If you’re paying more that 4% for the loan against your own home, now is a great time […]