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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 this year, here’s 6 questions you might like to ask us in 2018!
1. How can I clear my debts faster?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, about 29% of Australian households are classified as ‘over-indebted’. The most common form of debt is credit card debt, which is currently a real bother to about 55% of us!

If you want to clear your debts faster, particularly credit card debts, the trick is finding ways to save on interest, so your money goes towards paying down your debt rather than maintaining it. This could mean rolling all your debts into one loan with a lower interest rate. We could help you do this with a personal loan, or perhaps by refinancing your home loan to pay off your debts. Call us if you want to talk turkey on debt consolidation!

2. What’s the best way to save for my child’s education?

Dreaming of your child becoming a Nobel Prize winner one day? Then a great education is key. Paying for something like a four year university degree twenty years from now is not so much a question of saving your extra pennies, but putting your money to work for you so it generates money for the future. Ideas? Use your home as a money tree – put any extra money you’ve got into your home loan now, then access the equity to invest as soon as you can. Or if you already have plenty of equity, talk to us about refinancing now to get a deposit for an investment property or some other form of investment.

3. How can I take a year off work to travel when I’ve got a mortgage?

Ah-ha! A tricky one, but talk with us because there are a number of things we could do to help, depending on your personal financial situation and how much equity you have in your home. For example, we could crunch the numbers for you to see if renting out your property would cover your repayments while you’re away. Or to make that strategy work for you, potentially negotiate with your lender so you could switch to interest-only for a while to reduce the size of your loan repayments. We may even be able to refinance your loan to help you cover some of your travel costs, and at the same time, extend your loan period to reduce your repayments so a renter could cover them.

4. My car loan repayments are a killer! What can I do about it?

Refinancing your car loan is not out of the question. If you got your car loan from a car dealership, chances are you’re paying a whopping interest rate – we recently heard of a client who was paying as much as 14.5% pa. If this is the case for you, we could potentially find you a loan with a lower interest rate, or extend your loan terms to reduce your repayments. It may even be possible to roll your car loan into your home loan. Talk to us and we’ll see what options are available for you, or if you want to purchase a car this year – we are here to help set you up for success.

5. I’ve always wanted a jet-ski. Is it possible to get a loan for that?

Yes! Even though we usually specialise in home loans, we can also access great loan options for other large purchases. We call these ‘lifestyle assets’ – which covers everything from jet-skis and boats, to other items you may need like cars, caravans, campervans and even horse trailers! Give us a call – you’ll be surprised how quickly we can get it organised.

6. I work for myself. Would I still be able to get a loan?

If you are self-employed, there is no reason why you can’t get a home loan if you have a steady income. We can also help you with finance for commercial vehicles, equipment you may need for your business, or insurance to cover your business and personal needs. Why not talk to us now? The right way forward for you depends on your current personal financial situation and future goals.

Got a twisty one? Go ahead and ask us!

We’re always available to help you with managing your finances and credit facilities. We at Element Finance Joondalup and Fremantle are very much looking forward to helping you get ahead in 2018, so if you have a question, please give us a call. We’re happy to help.

Christmas is just around the corner and isn’t it a wonderful time of year? It’s a time for family and friends, a little self-indulgence, of recognising how hard you’ve worked all year and rewarding yourself for your efforts. If you’ve been contemplating a property purchase, why not make that dream a reality? We can help you secure the finance you need, so please get in touch!

Interest Rate News

Thankfully, there was no pre-Christmas surprise this month from the Reserve Bank of Australia. The board decided to leave the cash rate on hold at 1.5 per cent. The central bank’s board will next meet in February 2018.

Property Market News

On the whole, national dwelling values were largely steady in November. Again, Melbourne seems to be proving more resilient than Sydney, with dwelling values up 0.52%. In contrast, Sydney’s housing market saw prices fall -0.72% in November. Canberra’s dwelling values rose by 0.86%, while Hobart experienced 0.64% growth. Things are looking up for property owners in Perth, where values rose by 0.21% in November. The city recorded the first rolling quarterly capital gain since late 2014 (up 0.3% in the three months to November). In Brisbane and Adelaide, there was less fluctuation (0.07% and 0.01% growth respectively). Darwin, like Sydney, experienced a fall in property values – the month-on-month change was -0.42%.

In the week ending December 3, there were 3,276 auctions held across the combined capital cities. According to CoreLogic, the preliminary clearance rate was 63.5% – up from the previous week’s clearance rate of 61.6%. Auction volumes remain in line with last year’s figures, but this time last year the clearance rate was much higher, at 72.3%.

Melbourne and Sydney’s clearance rates picked up compared to previous weeks. In Victoria, there were 1,800 scheduled auctions and a clearance rate of 67%. New South Wales held 1344 scheduled actions and cleared 62% of the stock. Meanwhile, the ACT had the highest clearance rate – 76% on 105 scheduled auctions. Tasmania only held 11 auctions and cleared 67% of stock, while South Australia had 148 scheduled auctions and 65% of properties sold. In Western Australia, 61 properties went to auction and 46% went under the hammer. Queensland held 395 auctions and the Northern Territory had 17. Both had clearance rates of 36%.

As the sun sets on 2017, we’d like to take the opportunity to wish you a safe and happy festive season. Remember, now is a great time to purchase a new property for the New Year, or to re-evaluate your mortgage. If you’d like advice about finding a mortgage that suits your financial circumstances and plans, we’d love to help! We’ll do the hard yards for you, so that you can concentrate on the fun stuff this summer, like playing beach cricket and being with the family. Here’s to an exciting 2018 – hopefully one that includes an exciting new property purchase! Welcome to our December Newsletter

If you’ve been putting all your extra cash into your home loan, well done. Paying your loan off sooner could potentially save you a lot of money on interest. However, owning a safe and reliable car is just as important, particularly if you have a family or need to travel a distance to work. So if you need a new car, how can you afford it if your home loan has been your priority? Is there a way to get the best of both worlds? The answer is yes!

How does it work?

If the equity in your home has grown significantly because you have been paying off your loan for a while, have made extra repayments, or the value of your home has increased, then you may be in a position to refinance your home loan to access your equity. This could give you enough cash to go down to a dealership and buy that new car. Having cash-in-hand may even give you a little extra bargaining power!

Whilst refinancing may mean that your home loan repayments increase somewhat, the increase could potentially be less than the cost of a car loan repayment and your mortgage repayment combined. Car loans and personal loans tend to carry a much higher interest rate than your mortgage. Depending on where you get your car or personal loan, you could pay anything from 6.5% p.a. up to 14.5% p.a. in interest. (Always talk to us before taking out any kind of loan to be sure you’re getting a suitable loan for your needs at a competitive rate.)

Talk to us and we’ll help you to assess your financial position on your loan to see if it is the right move for you.

What are the drawbacks?

It’s important to be aware that if you take some equity out of your home loan, your home loan repayments are likely to increase. You probably won’t be paying as much as you would if you had a separate car loan and a home loan as well, but if you take the full 30-year term to pay it off, it may cost you more in interest over the life of the loan. So if you decide to access your equity to buy a car, we recommend that you make additional repayments and pay it back as quickly as you can. This will help you to maximize the benefit of the lower interest rate you get by using your mortgage rather than a car or personal loan.

Talk to us first

Before you make any large purchase that may require a loan, it’s important to talk to us about your finance options so we can help you find a solution that’s right for you. We’ll help you decide whether refinancing and using your equity to buy what you need is a viable option, or if another type of finance could be more suitable. And above all, remember that car dealerships only offer one type of finance, whereas we offer a variety of finance options that can be tailored to suit your personal financial circumstances and goals – so always talk to us first. We’re here to help you achieve your financial goals, so call us today.Could the equity in your house buy you a new car?

mortgage broker joondalup

As Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw could tell you, there are many perks to apartment living, which makes them a fantastic investment option.

They offer people the ability to live close to work and exciting entertainment hubs, where many a social drink can be had within walking distance of home. After all, who wants to live out in the burbs when you can be in the heart of the action? Sure, you might not have your own patch of dirt to toil over, but unless you’re over the age of 60, gardening is overrated.

Indeed, apartments offer attractive rental yields and an entry point into the market in locations that might otherwise be unaffordable for investors. Last May, CoreLogic anticipated there would be 231,129 new units set for completion across the combined capital cities by April 2018. And with such a large supply of apartments, price drops seem likely, so you may very well be able afford your own version of Carrie and Big’s “heaven on 5th”. Here are some tips for choosing the right investment apartment, and when you do, we would love to help you find the right loan!

Location, location, location!

Location is king when choosing an investment apartment – nobody wants to live in a box in the boonies! Proximity to amenities such as public transport, healthcare, recreational facilities, childcare and schools will impact on the rental appeal of your investment and the rent you can get away with charging tenants. Apartments and units with great tenant appeal also tend to experience more reliable capital growth, so choosing the right apartment can help you profit both ways.

Do your homework

Knowledge is power! We recommend you thoroughly research an area before buying. Consider supply and demand for apartment living in the area and find out what are other apartments are renting and selling for. That way, you’ll have a sound understanding of what a given property is worth and the potential rental yield.

Consider your future tenants

Think about who your future tenants might be and what they are looking for in a home. Will they be like Carrie, and require a massive built-in wardrobe to house their Imelda Marcos-style shoe collection? Perhaps features like a parking spot in the CBD may be in particularly high demand. If you can anticipate your tenants’ needs, your apartment is more likely to be highly sought after.

Consider the ongoing fees

As Samantha would say, sky-high strata fees are “painful and unnecessary”. Before buying, calculate your net rental yield to estimate your likely return, factoring in the strata fees, interest repayments, insurance, taxes, rates and water charges. Lastly, before you sign on the dotted line, don’t forget to organise a strata inspection report, which will raise any red flags about the accounts and records of the property.

When you do find an investment apartment that ticks all your boxes, we can help you find you a home loan that fits like a glove. As your mortgage broker, we’ll help you get a competitive rate from one of Australia’s leading lenders and structure your investment property loan so that you get the most out of it – now and in the future. Happy apartment hunting!

mortgage  broker rockingham
As we head into the Easter long weekend, activity in the national housing market continues to ramp up. Home prices in Australia’s biggest cities have jumped 3.7 per cent since the start of the year and Melbourne and Sydney continue to lead the way, with strong property price growth and high auction clearance rates.

Last month saw notable growth in home values in Darwin and Hobart, and while we continue to see a two-speed market across the country, there are some great investment opportunities out there.

Interest Rate News

This month, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided to keep the official cash rate on hold again at 1.5 per cent. The decision follows an announcement by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on Friday 31 March that financial institutions restrict new interest-only property lending to 30 per cent of their total residential mortgage lending, in a bid to manage heightened risks in the property market.

Many lenders adjusted rates outside of RBA movements this month and raised rates on both owner-occupier and investment loans. They increased rates on both variable and fixed-rate products. That makes it more important than ever to stay on top of your home loan interest rate. Check in with us and we’ll compare hundreds of different home loan products to find the right one for you.

Property Market News

Bidders are continuing to snap up properties at auction, with high clearance rates last week in Victoria, NSW, South Australia and the ACT. For the week ending April 2, Victoria had 1231 auctions, with a clearance rate of 80 per cent, while NSW held 1284 auctions, with a clearance rate of 78 per cent. South Australia and the ACT both had clearance rates of 76 per cent, while things were quieter on the auction front elsewhere.

In March, home values increased in all capital cities, with the biggest percentage changes month-on-month in Darwin (3.07%) and Hobart (3.06%). Darwin’s year-on-year home values dropped 4.41%, while Hobart’s increased 10.24%. Melbourne home values increased 1.92% month-on-month and 15.93% annually, while Sydney’s home values were up 1.41% month-on-month, and a massive 18.88% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the proportion of total housing finance commitments to owner-occupier first home buyers is at an historic low. Talk to us to see how you can take advantage of recent improvements to the First Home Buyer Grant to get into the market sooner.

With interest rates remaining low, now is a great time to buy your first home, invest or consider refinancing. We’ll find you the right home loan to suit your personal needs and goals, potentially saving you thousands in the long-run. Call us today!


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