For many years the mortgage industry has been pushing the argument that repayments on investment property loans should be interest only (IO) for better cash flow management, and also possible tax advantages. However, I wish to present the case to you that making principal and interest (P&I) repayments can also be a good option to consider.

In this article we will explore how to calculate how much equity you currently have, and then I will present a scenario that will show you how you might be able to start your investment property portfolio sooner than you thought.

Redraw lets you access extra repayments you have made on your loan. In an emergency, access to this extra cash can be a live-saver.

Similar to how a savings account works, you can also save within your mortgage account simply by making payments over and above your minimum monthly requirement.

Don’t let being self-employed stop you from buying your dream home or getting your investment property portfolio started.

As a self-employed borrower you may often face the challenge of not being able to present payslips and EOFY payment summaries to prove your income and support your loan application, but don’t let that deter you.

Purchasing a home or investment property when you are self-employed is not as hard as you might think. It just requires that you consider your business structure and how you pay yourself out of the business. This will dictate the documentation you need to provide.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) credit services, such as Afterpay, Zip (ZipPay and ZipMoney), Humm, and Openpay, are gaining popularity with the promise of instant gratification, but with every high comes the risk of a corresponding low. As the industry’s growth continues, I am warning users to be cautious of the temptation the service provides as all debt can affect the chances of securing a home/investment loan further down the track.

The mortgage industry is a large and complex world that seems to speak its own language. One of the many acronyms you may have heard being used is ‘LVR’, which stands for Loan to Value Ratio.

When calculating the amount of money you need to borrow to purchase a property, how much deposit you need to save, and whether you are eligible for a particular mortgage product, the Loan to Value ratio (LVR) is one of the most important considerations.

As Australians everywhere take a close look at their financial circumstances, mortgage brokers stand ready to lend a helping hand.

Whether experiencing financial hardship through job loss, a reduction in work hours, or business disruption, an increasing number of Australians may be struggling to balance their books as a result of the Coronavirus, and in many cases are wondering how they will continue to pay the bills.

You bought your home or investment property and at the time you had the sharpest rate possible. Very happy! But we all know that interest rates move with time and your lender has probably shifted rates here and there. Looking at your current interest rate, you realise it isn’t as sharp as it used to be.

What are your options?

What is a Mortgage Broker? Mortgage brokers are professional lending people who are independent from any one bank. They have qualifications with many banks in the Australian lending landscape, including major banks such as CBA, Westpac, St George, ANZ, and NAB. Brokers also have access to many non-bank institutions that lend money at a competitive rate (these include Pepper Money, Liberty, and Bluestone, to name a few).

Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is an insurance policy which insures the lenders/banks from potential loss. When a borrower is wishing to borrow over 80% of the value or purchase price of a property, lenders in Australia must insure the loan with an LMI policy. So, the policy covers the bank but the premium is payable by the borrower.