Bank reveals rush to pay off loans

Clancy Yeates Australians are rushing to pay off their home loans faster than many households overseas, with half of all borrowers ahead of their mortgage repayment schedule.

One in five new borrowers fix home loans

First home buyers are locking in more fixed rate home loans than they were four years ago as arrears rates continue to improve.

More buyers turn to non-bank loans

Clancy Yeates The number of people taking out home loans with non-bank lenders is creeping up.

Banks' could pull back on home loans

Gareth Hutchens Banks could pull back from lending to new home owners after making losses on mortgages.

Margin loans still on the nose

Margin loans are still out of favour, more than three years after the global financial crisis (GFC) began, with fewer investors than ever inclined to use them - and those that do opting for much more...

Low-doc loans on borrowed time

By Lesley Parker Responsible lending laws may bring an end to these potentially predatory financial products.

Reverse loans cast a shadow

By Barbara Drury Tapping into home equity may seem like an easy way to gain extra cash but mistakes can cost you dearly.

SUPER

Gearing up for a long investment haul

John Collett With interest rates at record lows does it make sense to borrow to invest?

Rates that should pique your interest

Potts Spot The Reserve Bank may have reached the end of the line for rate cuts, but lenders are going their own way.

Property

Exposure to housing could come back to bite us

Leith van Onselen The inexorable rise of prices during the past two decades has caused many to argue that Australian housing is overvalued.

No credit given once relationship soured

Penny Pryor When recently separated Jan Bradley applied for a personal loan for what she believed was a relatively small amount of $10,000 at her bank earlier this year, she was shocked and dismayed at the way...

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Insight

When locking it in is a loaded question

Clancy Yeates It's easy to see why many people might be wondering if now is a good time to fix their mortgage. Average fixed rates are at the lowest level on record.

CREDIT-CARD DEBT

Plot a path to turn red into black

Christine Long Sticking to a straightforward strategy is the key to defeating credit-card debt.

Interest rate cut looks likely

Peter Martin The Reserve Bank is considered certain to cut interest rates after a last-minute deluge of data showed spending has stalled, profits have collapsed, the job market has shrunk and inflation has turned...

Big four banks moving to out-deal mortgage brokers

Eric Johnston The four major banks rely less on mortgage brokers in an aim to push borrowers into fixed loans.

Earlier interest rate cuts spur activity

Chris Zappone Signs of life return to the mortgage market, with home loans increasing more than expected.

Battlefield of fixed-rate mortgages

Eric Johnston Banks are fighting it out across fixed-rate mortgages amid expectations of rate cut.

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon

Secret loan deals and discounts revealed

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon Feeling the home-loan pinch? It's time to press for a better deal on your home loan.

Victory on exit

Early exit fees have been banned on home loans taken out from July 1 last year, but property buyers who took out loans before then with early exit fees might not have to pay the fees after all.