Loan options Archives - Focus Property Wealth

Buying an apartment vs a house as an investment

03 November 2024

Do you want to jump into the property market but don’t have the budget to buy a house? A unit or apartment could be a great way to get your leg up on the property ladder. According to CoreLogic data, unit values are now rising at a faster rate than houses in more than half…

Rentvesting: is this a good option for first-time buyers?

15 August 2024

With today’s cost of living pressures and the median dwelling value in Australia now at $794,000, many young Australians feel like they’ll never be able to enter the property market. However, it’s important to remember there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to buying your first property. For some, it could be a home to live in. For others, rentvesting…

Refinancing your home loan: how does it work?

19 January 2024

When you’re busy with life, refinancing can seem like a hassle. However, with a mortgage broker to guide you through the process, it doesn’t have to be! Refinancing may allow you to switch to a more competitive home loan, thereby potentially saving you money in interest. It can also help you achieve other goals, like…

Smart Investing for the Budget-Savvy

18 August 2023

Perth property investment market is going very well, much of this success is to do with the WA property markets affordability in comparison to other states. Is a small budget holding you back from property investment? Think again! So you might be surprised to learn that you don’t need a hefty bank balance to dive…

Home Settlement Process – What you should know

03 July 2023

There’s nothing quite like the buzz of seeing those words in your inbox: Confirmation of settlement of your property purchase. Settlement day can be both exciting and stressful. But once the formalities are done, it’s all worth it. If you’re planning a property purchase and are new to how settlement works, here’s a rundown. What…

Credit Report 101: A Beginner’s Guide

22 June 2023

Have you ever wondered how lenders decide whether to grant you that coveted home loan? Your credit report holds significant importance in their decision-making process. Think of it as your financial report card, showcasing your payment habits and borrowing history. Since the introduction of the Comprehensive Credit Reporting (CCR) rule in 2019, your credit report…

mortgage prison how can you escape it?

16 June 2023

Stuck in an expensive home loan and feeling trapped? You’re not alone. It’s estimated about 16 per cent of households with a mortgage are in a “mortgage prison”, unable to refinance to a more competitive interest rate because they can’t meet strict serviceability rules. But there may be a way out. And we can help. What is…

How your HECS-HELP debt affects your borrowing capacity

11 May 2023

Do you know how much you owe on your HECS-HELP debt? While student HECS and HELP loans in Australia are interest-free, they are indexed every financial year based on a cost of living index. The recent outbreak of high inflation means millions of Australians with student loan debts are facing a 7.1% increase from 1…

How to manage your own investment property

24 April 2023

How to manage your own investment property? It’s time to find some quality tenants and sign them up to a lease. When it comes to this step, you can go one of two ways. You can pay a property manager to take care of the nitty gritty for you. There are all sorts of perks…

Perth property market update

12 May 2019

When will the Perth Property market return to growth? With so much focus on the NSW and Victorian property in media it is important to understand Australia has many individual property markets and Perth has been doing it tough for many years now. You may recall way back in 2006, Perth's median property prices…

Can you exit an off the plan purchase?

14 February 2019

Considering buying a property off the plan? It sounds good in theory, with the possibility of stamp duty concessions and other benefits for first home buyers. But in 2018 there were quite a few people who got caught out by the hidden risks. Read on to find out what you need to know if you’re…

Rent Vs Buy?

15 June 2018

Rent Vs buy? For some, renting makes good financial sense. For others, it’s just money down the drain. For you it may be a question of short-term convenience versus long-term financial growth, which can make it a difficult decision to make. In this article, we break down the pros and cons of renting and buying,…

Fixed Interest vs Variable Home Loans in 2018

07 June 2018

If you’re buying a property or considering refinancing your home loan in 2018, you may be asking yourself whether to fix your interest rate or not. Many people think about switching to a fixed interest rate mortgage when interest rates are low, in the belief that it will insulate them from future interest rate rises.…

Guide to Investing in Property

30 May 2018

When done right, investing in property can help you to build long-term wealth, and who doesn’t like the idea of an additional income stream? (Imagine what you could do with that!) The really great thing about investing in property is that just about anyone can understand the principals. If you’re thinking about building wealth for…

6 questions to ask your mortgage broker

07 February 2018

Did you know that your mortgage broker can help you with a lot more than a home loan? Mortgage brokers are qualified as ‘credit advisors’, so we can be of great benefit to you in a variety of different ways when it comes to your finances. To start you thinking about maximising your financial goals…

Will buying a smaller investment property provide a good ROI?

A small investment property could potentially make a great investment, provided you choose the right one. The key to success with any investment property is thorough research. In this article, we take a look at how to research and choose the right small space property to give you the investment property returns you’re looking for.…

3 things every new landlord needs to know

04 January 2018

Buying your first investment property is exciting, but it also comes with new responsibilities. When you’re on your L-plates as a new landlord, it’s important to be aware of your rights and obligations and those of your tenants. Here are some of the essential things that you should know. 1) Go it alone, or use…

Is now the right time to buy your first home?

07 December 2017

If you’ve been dreaming about purchasing your own place, but a niggling voice in the back of your mind has been offering up objections, we’re here to tell that voice to pump the breaks, champ! In this article, we tackle some of the common objections first home buyers may have to buying right now, and…

Refinance your Investment property loan?

08 October 2017

The clever investor knows that assessing your investments regularly is key to identifying opportunities to build wealth. Knowing when to refinance an investment property could be vital to a successful strategy. So is now the time for you to refinance? Talk to us and we’ll help you to decide! Despite recent tightening around investor lending,…

A step-by-step guide to refinancing your home

22 August 2017

With a home loan it’s easy to just ‘set and forget’. But it’s sensible to review your home loan every three years or so and if savings can be made consider refinancing. We're living in a world of rapid change, where interest rates go up and down fast, new lenders emerge and more competitive lending…