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Small business owners wanting to buy a vehicle, asset or important piece of equipment and immediately write off the cost have just over a month to act this financial year. There’s nothing like an impending deadline to get you moving. And with June 30 now just over a month away (didn’t that sneak up on […]

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Rate rises are a bit like taking off in a plane. Sure, it’s a bit nervy, but so long as you’ve run through your pre-flight check, have a well-serviced aircraft, built-in some contingencies (a buffer!), and have a handy co-pilot (us!), you should reach your destination no worries. As you’re likely aware, earlier this month […]

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The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has increased the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 0.35% amid high inflation concerns and has signalled more cash rate increases will likely follow. This is the first RBA cash rate hike since November 2010, and the first time the cash rate has moved since it was […]

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Australian small businesses are investing in their recovery through a surge in machinery purchases, IT and office technologies, and sustainable business assets, according to Commonwealth Bank (CBA) data. The CBA research shows small business financing for equipment and machinery is up 17% so far this financial year compared to last year. The research also shows 67% of […]

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The chances of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifting the official cash rate on Tuesday just increased dramatically after figures showed the cost of living jumped 5.1% over the past year – the highest annual increase in more than 20 years. Economists around the country say the unexpectedly high jump in inflation means a […]

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First home buyers with a deposit of just 5% will soon have more purchasing power thanks to an increase in property price caps for the highly popular Home Guarantee Scheme. Most capital cities will get a $100,000 boost to their property price cap from July 1, while regional areas around the country will get a […]

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It’s the hope that kills you. Just ask Carlton fans, NSW Blues supporters, Wallabies sufferers, and hopeful homebuyers who have fallen victim to underquoting. Obviously, you can’t change your footy team, but you can follow these tips to avoid the sketchy real estate practice. If it hasn’t happened to you, it’s probably happened to someone […]

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Car enthusiasts around the nation got a bit of a shock this week when the Tesla Model 3 rocketed up the sales leaderboard to place third for all new vehicles sold in March. How did that happen? You might have seen an article by us a few weeks back about the sales of electric vehicles […]

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It’s taking young couples roughly five years on average to save for a 20% home loan deposit, according to new research. Want to hear something crazy, though? We know how to quarter that timeframe… Real talk: it’s never been tougher to save up a deposit for your first home. In Sydney the average timeframe is […]

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First home buyers, regional buyers and single parents keen to crack the property market are the big winners in this year’s federal budget – with 50,000 low deposit, no LMI scheme spots up for grabs.  Want to buy your first home with just a 5% deposit and pay no lenders’ mortgage insurance? You could be […]

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Most of you would have noticed that car prices have gone up significantly over the past two years. But how much have they gone up exactly? Let’s take a look. You’re not imagining things – both new and used vehicle prices have gone up over the past two years (not to mention, house prices, petrol, […]

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Think property prices have gone a little bonkers? You’re not the only one. Which is why a report with 16 recommendations to tackle housing affordability has just been plonked on pollies’ desks in Canberra. Today we’ll run through them for you (succinctly, we promise). You might have noticed that property prices have skyrocketed over the […]

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New data from the lending watchdog reveals almost one in four new mortgages are risky. How are they deemed risky? Well, it’s got something to do with your debt-to-income ratio, which we’ll explain in this week’s article. Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio might sound complicated, but it’s really very simple to work out. Basically, your DTI […]

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Home and business owners impacted by the floods in New South Wales and Queensland can apply to their lender for a three-month loan deferral or reduced payment arrangement. Here’s how to apply if you or someone you know has been impacted. Another year, another disaster. In 2019 it was the bushfires. In 2020 it was […]

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It’s a three-speed property market across the country right now, with two capital cities showing signs prices might’ve peaked, three cities looking like they could soon peak, and three still going strong. How is the market performing in your neck of the woods? While national housing prices have increased a staggering 20.6% over the past […]

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It wasn’t long ago that the idea of buying an electric vehicle (EV) seemed like a bit of futuristic science-fiction. But with interest rates on EV loans recently dropping to under 3%, going electric is now more in the realms of an everyday, mundane, household budget decision. According to the latest Electric Vehicle Council data, […]

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Keen to tackle a renovation project in 2022? You might have noticed that tradies are hard to pin down at the moment. So if you live in one of the suburbs in this week’s article, you might want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later… If you’ve ever watched The Block, you’ll know […]

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Hold onto your hats, things are about to get a little bumpy. Economists from Australia’s biggest bank are predicting the Reserve Bank will raise the official cash rate as early as June – and we’re already seeing fixed interest rates increase significantly. Commonwealth Bank (CBA) economists have brought forward their forecasted Reserve Bank of Australia […]

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What’s most important to you when selecting a lender to provide finance for your small business right now? Well, Australian small business owners have put ‘flexibility’ when it comes to loan repayments right up there on their priority list. And that should come as no surprise given the disruptive nature of the economy that most […]

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Construction costs just rose at the fastest annual pace since 2005. So why is it getting so expensive to build your own home? Today we’ll look at the materials that are becoming more expensive and why all homeowners should take note – not just renovators and builders. “Your grandpa built this place with his own […]

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National property prices are predicted to rise by up to 9% in 2022, according to REA Group, but which cities are tipped to lead the way in price growth this year? Let’s take a look. National housing values grew a whopping 22.1% in 2021, and while things are expected to slow down throughout 2022, the fun […]

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Ever dreamed about telling your boss to “shove it” and starting up your own business? Well, there’s been a big jump in Millennials and Gen Zs who are saving up to do just that (well, maybe except for the “shove it” part!). There’s something romantic about the notion of starting your own business. You know, […]

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With all the talk of record-breaking property growth throughout 2021, do you know how exactly your suburb and property type performed? Today we’ll show you how to find out in just a few clicks. You’ve probably heard all the talk of national housing values soaring in 2021 – by 22.1%, to be exact. But that […]

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How much do you need to borrow to buy a typical Australian home these days? Well, the average loan size has increased dramatically over the past year – up almost $100,000. The national average loan size for owner-occupier dwellings rose to an all-time high of $596,000 in November 2021, according to the latest Australian Bureau […]

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Some of us buy cars for work, others for play. So it’s no surprise that the top two cars in 2021 can do both. But which vehicle took the crown? Well, it was super close, so let’s have a look. Ok, let’s cut straight to the chase. Taking out pole position in 2021 was the […]

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Australian homeowners are loading up their offset accounts in record amounts, so much so that the average household is now almost four years ahead on their mortgage payments. Quick question: do you have an offset account (or several) attached to your mortgage? They’ve become quite popular in recent years, especially since the RBA’s official cash […]