Finance Tips and Insights - Smart Property Investment

Property investment is often regarded as a game of finance. Here’s how you can best understand the financing options and strategies to suit your portfolio.

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Growth slowdown signals rate halt

A leading indicator of economic growth has reported a slowdown, adding weight to expectations of another RBA rate hold...

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Official rates stable, but potential bank-originated hikes loom

The September Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) interest rate meeting is now just two weeks away and it would appear that...

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Lenders drop fixed rates

Non-bank lenders and second tier banks are seeking to win greater consumer business with reductions to their fixed rate...

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Borrowers don’t want to be locked in

It would appear that today's property buyers prefer to keep their options open with almost all borrowers preferring...

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Fixed mortgage appeal slides

Demand for fixed rate home loans fell to just 2 per cent of all home loan approvals in July despite their increased...

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Borrowers turn to brokers to refinance

When it comes to refinancing, almost half of borrowers turn to a mortgage broker for advice, the latest research...

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Housing finance activity slides in June

Housing finance activity declined again in June, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of...

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First home buyer mortgages up in July

Despite a cooling property market in most sectors, there is a glimpse of a recovery in the first home buyer sector, the...

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Banks red flagged over aggressive credit marketing

Australian banks have landed themselves in hot water with a new report accusing them of recklessly encouraging...

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Australians’ savings dangerously low

A new index from ING DIRECT has revealed a worrying trend among Australians’ savings patterns – or, rather, lack of...

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Rate hold welcome news for property market

The housing industry has welcomed the RBA’s decision to keep rates on hold and called for the central bank to...

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Cash rate on hold but mortgage rates could still rise

The official cash rate remained on hold yesterday, but in today’s mortgage market that’s no guarantee that banks...

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Big banks fail to please consumers

An extensive study of consumer experience outcomes has found Australian consumers are largely unsatisfied with their...

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Weak property market signals need for rate hold

Weak sales figures in the property market have reinforced calls for a hold on interest rates, according to a leading...

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Aussies ignore high interest saving returns

A high interest savings account can certainly accelerate budding property buyers’ deposits yet new data shows...

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Rates on Hold, for Now - August 2010

Escalating debt problems in Europe will force the central bank to leave rates unchanged for the immediate future,...

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Fixed rates gain popularity

Despite widespread speculation that the RBA will keep interest rates on hold when it meets early next week, one...

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LJ Hooker launches home loan

LJ Hooker is the latest in a growing number of real estate groups to focus on marketing its own branded mortgages.

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Virgin takes second shot at mortgage market

Sir Richard Branson and his company Virgin Money have once again vowed to take on the major banks, after launching a...

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Interest rate outlook “relatively” favourable

In good news for home buyers, the outlook for interest rates is looking increasingly optimistic with many economists...

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Banks may move above RBA

Australia’s major banks will look to hike their interest rates even if the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) doesn’t...

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Election won’t stop rate hike

Federal elections are always an interesting time. Plenty of promises, rhetoric, and grand schemes for the future.

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Innovative products attract borrowers

New research from independent market analyst Datamonitor has found that innovative product offerings successfully...

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Rates to play key role in election

Interest rates are expected to play a key role in determining which party will win the next election.

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Funding for self-employed opens up

There are encouraging signs that self-employed products are making a return, with a non-bank lender unveiling a new...

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