Average annual electricity bills in Australia hover around $1,600 per state, even hitting as high as almost $2,000 in South Australia. For example, a family of five’s average annual electricity bills can climb to as much as $2,576.28. Our varying Aussie climate coupled with a growing population place increased demand on energy use. Q. How […]
Get them NOW – your investment property tax returns on pay day Whether you are a first time property investor or a property portfolio owner, cash flow is critical. There are many ongoing, and sometimes surprising, costs associated with holding investment properties. Numerous unending costs include insurance, body corporate/strata fees, council and water rates, property […]
There is no doubt that Australians and visiting tourists have embraced Airbnb accommodation sharing with gusto. In fact, in 2017 there were 5,090,000 Airbnb bookings in Australia. Globally, the company has enabled 260 million check-ins in 191 countries. Airbnb is not just a city sensation In 2017 Airbnb reported that Australia was the only major […]
As housing affordability continues to challenge home buyers across all income levels and demographics, Australia’s experienced mortgage brokers help to drive choice, competition and valuable services for the Australians who need them most. Mortgage brokers encourage competition between all lenders in the market, which has contributed to a fall in lenders’ net interest margins (NIMs) […]
In a recent survey 48% of our respondents told us they have an investment property! That’s music to a finance specialist’s ears – it’s satisfying to hear those people have a financial strategy that could lead to a more comfortable retirement. However, 66% of respondents also said they are worried about not having enough money in […]
Getting ahead financially doesn’t have to be a choice between living life to the fullest right now or being tied down in your own home with a huge mortgage. Did you know you could possibly get your foot in the door of the investment property market without having to save for a huge deposit? The […]
In January 2018 there were over 16.7 million credit cards in Australia and 70.19% of us have a credit card1. In addition: • Australian households have the fourth highest debt levels in the world after Denmark, The Netherlands and Norway. • The ratio of average household debt to income has almost tripled since 1988 from […]
A 2017 report found that about 52% of people aged between 25 and 64 can expect a ‘comfortable retirement’. On the flip side that leaves over 47% of us (or 5.1 million people) unlikely to have enough put aside to live comfortably in our retirement years. However, the story it tells for single people is even […]
Mortgage brokers drive competition and reduce prices • The mortgage broker channel works for all Australians by driving competition, which helps to make interest rates more competitive for everyone. It has contributed to a fall in lenders’ net interest margins of more than three percentage points in the past 30 years. • Mortgage brokers bring […]
Congratulations! There you are in your cap and gown, degree in hand. This is what you’ve been working towards these past few years. So… what’s next? Completing tertiary study can be both the most exciting AND daunting time of a graduate’s life. Some may head off for poststudy travel (read our article about ‘debt lag’!) […]