Over the past decade or so, investing in property has become all the rage in Australia, especially in the larger property markets of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Many budding investors have been attracted by the huge gains that have been achieved thanks to the Australia-wide property boom. Another attractive reason is that of the tax benefits of negative gearing. But is negative gearing into property really a good investment strategy?

Variable rate home loans allow you to take advantage of falling interest rates. With a variable rate loan the interest rate you pay on your home loan varies with the interest rate that is set by the reserve bank of Australia, this means that if interest rates fall so does the interest you pay on your home loan. Conversly, the down side is if interest rates rise you will be paying more interest on your home loan. Here we take a look at situations where you would consider taking out a variable rate home loan.

Buying a new home can be a daunting experience whether you are a first home buyer or an existing home owner. Here we provide home buyers with some tips on buying a new house.

There are a number of things to consider before you take out a 100% or 105% home loan. Borrowing 100% or 105% of the homes value can be a great way to get in your first home. But there is a downside, generally the interest rate is considerably higher than what it would be if you had a larger deposit. Here we look at 100% and 105% home loans and how they can benefit you and also some of the pitfalls of taking out such a loan.

Today, there are many different innovative features available on home loans. Some of these features, including redraw facilities, can help you save money on the total interest costs of your home loan over the term of the loan. Here we look at the redraw facility and how it could benefit you.