Objection 1: “I don’t have a big enough deposit”

If you’ve been working hard to save a deposit and feel like it’s never going to be big enough, we have some exciting news for you! Size doesn’t always matter, especially not in this scenario. Being approved for a home loan is not necessarily dependant on how much of a deposit you have, but rather your capacity to repay the mortgage. There are all sorts of options available to aspiring homeowners who don’t have a 20% deposit.

Some lenders still offer home loans for up to 95% of the purchase price. The borrowing criteria can be more stringent than other types of loans, but if you have a clear credit history, stable employment, a solid income, minimal debt and are in a good asset position, you may qualify. Most home loan providers will want to see evidence you’ve saved at least 5% of the purchase price, and you may have to pay Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance with this type of loan – but you’ll have your foot on the property ladder! Speak to us to find out whether this kind of loan could work for you.

Another way to get a foot on the property ladder could be to ask your parents or a family member to be your guarantor. This is when they use the equity in their property as security for your loan. The right time to buy your first home is as soon as you can afford to do so!

Objection 2: “I think the market will downturn”

Whilst the property market does go up and down in cycles, “timing the market” is not as important as “time IN the market”. The sooner you buy a property, the sooner it will be possible for it to start to experience capital growth (which is the term we use to describe how much your property goes up in value whilst you own it).

There is always a possibility that your property will go down in value after you purchase it. However, you need to remember it has only gone down in value ‘on paper’ – you won’t actually lose any money unless you sell it. Market fluctuations are common and it is likely it will have recovered in value by the time you want to sell.

Choosing the right home in the right location can help protect against property market fluctuations and improve your chances of long-term capital growth. When you locate a property you’re interested in buying, we can help you check its capital growth potential with a free property market report – so please ask us.

Objection 3: “I can’t afford a home where I would want to live”

Most people don’t get to buy their dream home the first time around – it’s a goal you can work towards once you get on the property ladder. If you can’t afford to buy your dream home in your preferred location, you could look for something in another location, consider a smaller property that’s more affordable, or opt for a fixer-upper that has potential but just needs a little love. Another option that’s becoming increasingly popular is to rent-vest – rent where you want to live and buy an investment property somewhere else. That way, you can grow your nest egg to enable you to eventually buy the home you want.

There’s no time like the present to chat with us about your plans and finance options. Please get in touch and we’ll explain your borrowing capacity, home loan options and help you get pre-approval on your loan so you can start looking for a property to buy sooner. 

Interest Rate News

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided to keep the cash rate on hold at 1.5% again this month. It’s the 15th consecutive month with no rate change – the RBA last moved rates in August 2016, cutting the cash rate by 0.25 basis points. According to market analysts, it’s unlikely the RBA will make any move to adjust the cash rate at its final meeting for 2017 next month.

Property Market News

Home value increases slowed across the combined capital cities in October. Melbourne proved to be more resilient than Sydney, with dwelling values up 0.5% over the month, compared to Sydney, where they dropped -0.5%. Melbourne also saw stronger growth over the quarter, up 1.9% while Sydney’s prices fell -0.6%.

Dwelling values grew by 0.9% in Hobart in the month of October, and the city also saw the highest change in dwelling value growth over the quarter (up 3.3%). In Brisbane, values increased by 0.2% during the month of October, and 0.6% during the quarter. In Adelaide and Perth, there was no monthly change in dwelling values. Adelaide saw prices rise 0.1% over the quarter, while Perth’s prices fell -0.7% in the three months prior to October 31. Canberra saw prices fall -0.1% last month, but overall they increased 1.1 percent during the quarter.

Record auction numbers in October

Auction volumes across the combined capital cities reached record highs at the end of last month, according to CoreLogic. In the last week of October, the combined capital cities held 3,690 auctions, returning a preliminary auction clearance rate of 67.8%. Melbourne saw volumes reach their highest level on record, with 1,983 properties going under the hammer and 71.7% being snapped up!

The ACT also had a high clearance rate of 77% for 128 scheduled auctions. In South Australia, there were 163 scheduled auctions and 68% sold. New South Wales held 1,395 scheduled auctions, and achieved a clearance rate of 64%. In Tasmania, there were only six auctions, but 60% of properties sold. Half of the 60 properties that went to auction in Western Australia sold, while in the Northern Territory there were 10 scheduled auctions (44% clearance rate). Queensland had the lowest clearance rate for the week ending October 29 (43% for 361 scheduled auctions).

Now the Christmas shopping season has arrived, we know you’ll be busy buying gifts for your loved ones – so it might help to read our article this month about resisting the urge to splurge! Now is also a fantastic time to talk with us about your property purchasing plans, or to see us about a home loan health check, so please give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Property numbers are likely to pick up later this month and into early September, with spring tending to be a more popular time to sell. The cash rate remains on hold and interest rates are low, so why not seize the moment and purchase that dream property you’ve been looking for?

Interest Rate News

This month, the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the official cash rate on hold at 1.5%. Meanwhile, lenders continue to make rate moves to encourage interest-only borrowers to switch to principal and interest loans.

The Australian dollar soared after last month’s RBA meeting, following media speculation the RBA wanted to raise interest rates to 3.5%. However, the RBA has since commented they are not expecting to make any cash rate movements until late 2018. Overall, interest rates are still low and there are some great opportunities for buyers, investors and those looking to refinance!

Property Market News

The average monthly home value growth across Australia’s capital cities was fairly slow during July, only increasing 1.45%. In Melbourne, home values beat the average, increasing by 3.12% and Canberra also performed well, with home values increasing by 2.36%. In Adelaide home values rose a marginal 1.07% while in Hobart the increase was just 0.87%. Other cities saw marginal decreases in home values for July, with Perth showing the largest fall in home values of 1.32%.

Auction activity remains quite strong in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. For the week ending July 30, Victoria had 1002 auctions and a clearance rate of 77%. New South Wales had 838 auctions with a clearance rate of 67% and Queensland, 367 auctions with a clearance rate of 47%. In other states, activity was not as brisk, with the ACT only holding 47 auctions with a clearance rate of 74%, South Australia 87 auctions with a clearance rate of 63%, Western Australia 30 auctions with a clearance rate of 29%, Northern Territory 10 auctions with a clearance rate of 17% and no auctions were registered for Tasmania – and there were very few throughout July.

With spring just around the corner, now is a fantastic time for a fresh start, so why not make the most of the low interest rates? Whether you’re purchasing a home or an investment property, or are considering refinancing, we’d love to help! We’ll compare the market and find you a loan that suits your financial circumstances and goals. Please get in touch today!

Housing market conditions cooled slightly last month, while auction activity remained strong in Melbourne and Sydney, but quieter elsewhere. The good news is that there may be some fantastic bargains around the corner for buyers if dwelling values continue to drop!

Interest Rate News

This month, the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the official cash rate on hold at 1.5 per cent. Interest rates have been edging higher in recent months, particularly for investors, but there are still some very competitive deals available! The introduction of the new bank levy from July 1 could cause interest rates to rise further, so speak to us and we’ll explain your interest rate options and whether it might be a good idea to lock in a fixed rate.

Federal Budget News

Last month’s Federal Budget introduced new measures to make it easier for first-home buyers to save a deposit, by allowing them to salary-sacrifice up to $30,000 into super and benefit from a reduced tax rate of 15 per cent. If you are a first-home buyer, talk to us about other changes that could affect you, such as NSW’s recent changes to stamp duty.

The government is tightening some of the rules relating to negative gearing claims. From July 1, all travel deductions to inspect, maintain or collect rent for an investment property will be disallowed. Plant and equipment depreciation deductions will be limited to outlays actually incurred by investors. The government introduced measures to increase housing supply, such as releasing Commonwealth land for housing development. New financial incentives were also announced to encourage over 65s to downsize, with the government making it easier for them to contribute up to $300,000 from the sale of their family home into super. If you’d like to know more about property-related announcements in the Federal Budget, please give us a call!

Property Market News

Dwelling values fell by -1.1% across the combined capital cities in May. The biggest drops were in Hobart (-4.8%) and Darwin (-3.5%), while Melbourne and Sydney also saw prices fall by -1.7% and -1.3% respectively. Perth’s housing values fell by -0.4% and Canberra’s dropped -0.1%. In contrast, Brisbane’s prices increased by 0.3%, while Adelaide’s rose by 0.8%. While there has been speculation we could be starting to see a property market correction, it’s important to note that May is seasonally weaker than other months – values have fallen during May in four of the past five years.

Auction activity remains strong in Sydney and Melbourne, but softer elsewhere. For the week ending June 4, there were 1145 scheduled auctions in New South Wales (76% clearance rate), while Victoria cleared 75% of the stock at the 1269 auctions. The ACT had 78 scheduled auctions and cleared 72% of the stock, while in South Australia there were 114 scheduled auctions (61% clearance rate). Things were quieter in Western Australia (34 scheduled auctions with a clearance rate of 47%), Queensland (43% clearance rate on 306 scheduled auctions) and the Northern Territory (33% clearance rate on 8 auctions). In Tassie, none of the 4 scheduled auctions resulted in a sale.

With so many changes happening in the property market, it’s important to seek expert advice about your home loan. We are on top of all the latest developments and can find the right home loan to suit your current and future financial needs. Please call us today!