Archive for category: Blog

Investment in real property, such as residential real estate, is likely to be a lengthy process and one that usually involves a plan for the long term. To ensure you have considered what is required before making the big purchase, we’ve outlined steps you need to take in that process.

1. Make the commitment

A property investment must be a long term commitment in order for it to be worthwhile, so the very first step is to ‘do the numbers’ in order to evaluate your budget, potential constraints and future financial and personal obligations including the potential impact on family members.

“Consider your future as far ahead as you can,” says an MFAA broker. “You need to assess your ability to maintain or improve personal income as well as your commitment and ongoing financial capability to continue to service the financial impact of the investment for a minimum of five to ten years, as that’s what generally brings premium results.” You need to also make the commitment to ‘manage’ the investment – even if you outsource the day-to-day tasks involved including locating suitable tenants, collecting rents, paying relevant costs in rates and taxes as well as ensuring that the property’s repairs and maintenance are kept up to date.

2. Obtain Professional advice

You now need to obtain professional advice. An investment in real estate is likely to be significant in relation to your current financial position. If you have already discussed the investment with a licensed financial planner or investment adviser and residential real estate is considered the most appropriate in your current circumstances, you will have considered aspects including rental return, maximum capital growth and/or tax effectiveness.

You next need to locate a suitable property. There are buyers agents now available who can assist you in this process – potentially saving you money by disregarding inappropriate properties and concentrating on those that are more likely to deliver the highest return and capital increase to you over time.

Following that, unless you have cash or other investments that can be converted to cash to make your property investment, the next step is to contact a mortgage broker to help you to secure finance to enable purchase.

This will give you the opportunity to ask the broker as many questions needed to alleviate any uncertainty you may have about securing that finance.

These days, brokers who assist consumers to secure finance for residential property are heavily regulated and must be licensed (or appointed by a licensee). They must also hold membership of the external dispute resolution scheme and must hold appropriate qualifications including maintaining continuing professional development. The broker should also hold membership of an industry body, like the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) which triggers a requirement of an additional layer of obligations through compliance with its Code of Practice.

Using the services of an accountant, financial planner, solicitor/conveyancer and property manager on your team will also assist you in coming to your decision.

3. Assistance from relatives & friends

Talking to friends, family and acquaintances who have already made such an investment, or are currently considering one, can help your awareness of stumbling blocks and potential issues that you might otherwise miss. While any issues you face may seem new, it can help to bounce these off a trusted friend or relative who has been there before.

4. Collate your information

In order to apply for finance, you will need proof of your current income, employment and your assets as well as all liabilities including debts, loans, rental payment, outstanding credit card obligations and any other due payments, for example, buy now pay later commitments. Collate these and also any paperwork that helps support your personal position. For example, if you have been a long-term tenant, get a 12 month tenancy statement that proves your capacity to make regular repayments. Before applying for a loan, minimise your current debt load, and if possible, reduce the limit on, or cancel any credit cards you have, as this is perceived by lenders as potential for debt.

It is strongly recommended that you have a fully assessed pre-approval before you start your search. This will allow you to know what your financial limits are so that you can make an offer when you’ve found a property you like.

5. Other things to consider

An investment property purchase should not be an emotional decision. It is a business decision. If the property isn’t as clean as you would like, don’t assume that it hasn’t been maintained unless there are other clues to demonstrate that. Cleaning and even simple maintenance tasks are things you can do yourself or have done for you that you can include in your budget.

“Consider choosing a property based on whether you feel like you could live in it. While it’s still a business decision, you also have to adopt the mindset that you could be selling to an owner/occupier down the track, which could be an emotional purchase for the buyer,” says the broker. If however you plan to rent the property, your decision should be based on what would appeal to the type of individual who wants to reside in the area.

If you’re looking for a home loan but are inexperienced with finance brokers, attending your first appointment with a broker can be a nervous experience. Getting a home loan, after all, can be quite complex for a first-timer. There are lots of brokers around and there is a lot to learn. But there are many steps you can take to be confident that your appointment will be a success.

A good starting point is to familiarise yourself with the expectations of the first appointment between brokers and yourself. Your broker is very likely to ask you about your medium and long-term financial goals, the amount you want to borrow, comparisons of your home loan options and your understanding of the fees, costs and conditions attached to home loans. Knowing the direction the appointment will likely take lets you participate more actively in the conversation. This means you can better articulate your needs to your broker.

It’s also recommended that you give some consideration before the meeting to the types of questions you wish to ask your broker. Questions that can be of use include such things as loan types (such as term, repayment options and interest rate types), the types of ongoing fees attached to various loans (such as early exit, late payment, break and redraw fees) and the typical timeframe for a loan settlement.

These questions might pop into your head spontaneously during the meeting but preparing them in advance is a good way to refine them. By doing so, you are in a position to get more specific information from your broker.

It is common practice, too, for your broker to conduct a needs assessment prior to your face-to-face appointment – so you may be asked some pre-appointment questions.  To assist in answering these, you’ll need to supply information about your employment history, assets and expenses.

At the appointment it will save you time and effort to prepare and then bring the required documentation with you. This can include ID, transaction histories, tax returns, rental income statements and borrowing documents such as “contract of sale” and proof that you have the deposit for a property. It’s mandatory for brokers to maintain the confidentiality of information that you provide to them and only pass on information necessary to enable them to lodge your loan application or where required by law.

The other preparation you can make to maximise the success of your appointment is to research your broker. Many brokers provide content on their web pages and social media. This can give you a good indication of their knowledge and expertise and highlight topics to discuss with them. You can also determine if they specialise in any types of loans that match your needs, where they are located and their panel of lenders. Finally, you should investigate their qualifications. Although brokers are only required to obtain Certificate 4 qualifications, it could be argued that the better brokers hold Diploma qualifications. Finding a diploma-qualified broker will help ensure you receive the best credit advice.

Brokers can also be accredited, with accredited brokers held to higher standards. By verifying they are accredited, you can approach the meeting knowing your broker is appropriately educated, adheres to a strict and professional code of practice and is authorised to access a large range of products offered by a variety of lenders.

As a home owner with a mortgage, chances are you’ve heard of the term ‘refinancing’. Refinancing involves reviewing your current mortgage, and potentially swapping your loan to another lender who can better meet your current needs, wants and circumstances.

Refinancing can also allow you to consolidate your debts or pay down your mortgage more quickly.

Another common reason borrowers look to refinance is so that they can access equity – the amount you’d get from selling your home after settling any associated loans, such as a mortgage on that property, and any other costs associated with the property. Depending on that amount, you may be able to access equity in the property without having to sell it, for example, to make home renovations or to buy an investment property.

However, refinancing is not suited to everyone. There are many different factors you will need to consider when thinking about refinancing a loan. Before you initiate an application to refinance, your broker will need to assess your needs and objectives as well as your current financial situation.

So how will you know that refinancing is the right option for you?

The first step is to speak to a professional, such as a mortgage broker, about your needs and whether you can afford a different loan structure or other change to your mortgage, particularly if you have more than one property.

Are you looking to pay less interest?

Some people are savvy researchers and will want to take advantage of a lower interest rate from another lender should that be available to reduce repayments. If you aim for a lower interest rate, this could potentially save you a lot of money in the long term.

While saving money is often one of the biggest benefits of refinancing, it may not be as straightforward as that and careful consideration is required.

At this point, the broker will need to find out about your existing loan, repayments and current loan structure.

Your mortgage broker will also need to find out more about your current financial situation, including your income, any other current debts and about any assets you own.

The current value of the property is also taken into consideration, so your broker will have access to current data that will indicate what your property is likely to be worth.

The broker will then review the various loan options and figure out whether it’s worth it for you to refinance. Sometimes it’s not worth it if it’s only going to save a couple of hundred dollars a year, particularly when you take into consideration the exit and application fees involved. But if it’s going to save upward of $1,000 a year, refinancing might be a sensible approach.

In some cases, the mortgage broker can tell you if getting a lower interest rate from your current lender can be achieved without refinancing.

Do you want to change your loan type?

One of the risks of refinancing your home loan is that you may need to pay Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) to your new lender. If switching your loan means you will need to pay LMI again, it may not be worth refinancing.

If you do decide to go down the refinancing path, working with a broker rather than going straight to a lender has advantages. Broker’s generally have access to loan options from a range of different lenders (on average 34 lenders), and if there’s a better opportunity for you, they’re usually able to access it.

It is important to consider that when you take up a new home loan, it can incur exit fees and may not have all the features your existing home loan has.

Have your circumstances changed?

If you had a recent major life change such as a because of a loss of income or a change in marital status, you might be looking to refinance.

If you want to refinance to lower lending costs to help you manage your monthly repayments, speak to your mortgage broker who can negotiate with your current lender for a rate suitable to your current situation.

Your broker can also help you look at alternate options to consolidate your personal loans and credit cards into the one loan. This could help you in lowering your monthly repayments, or help you keep your repayments on time and even save you interest in the long-term. Indigo finance has access to many lenders and their products and have the expertise to help you through the refinance application process.

 

 

If you are finding it tough to meet your current financial obligations or you are just interested in reviewing your current home loan, then you are not alone. Mortgage brokers stand ready and able to assist with your options during this difficult time.

Turbulent does not even begin to describe 2020 so far. As a result of COVID-19 and not forgetting the bushfires, thousands of Australians are out of work, with Treasury predicting that the jobless rate will double in the June quarter from 5.1 per cent to 10 per cent. Many others have had their hours reduced or have been temporarily stood down.

In this period of uncertainty, at the very least many will be taking a closer look at their finances to make sure their current loan arrangements are right for them. Mortgage and finance brokers have the experience and knowledge to assist in a variety of situations and are simply an internet search or phone call away. Mortgage brokers are in regular contact with their lender panel and make it their business to understand the different options lenders currently offer.

And while the options can seem straight forward, it is easy to miss the details and differences that can add up, particularly over a 30-year term. For example, a number of banks are offering to temporarily freeze mortgage repayments for three or six months. While this may seem like a good option, it is important to fully understand the implications. This could mean that the total debt will increase. Of course, depending on an individual’s circumstances, there may be a number of available alternatives that may reduce repayments while not increasing your interest bill as much in the long term.

Refinancing too may be on the minds of many as a result of the Reserve Bank cutting rates and banks passing them on, to varying degrees, as well as access to a range of competitive fixed interest rate options on the market. A discussion with your local mortgage broker may be just the ticket.

While a simplistic view of what constitutes a great mortgage is the one with the lowest interest rate, mortgage brokers know that what suits one person might not necessarily suit another. For instance, fixed interest rates can offer piece of mind as interest rates increase, but they can be the cause of anxiety if rates fall or if unforeseen circumstances require a change.

No matter what your circumstances are, mortgage brokers can actively assist you in navigating your current situation. So, if you’ve been thinking about reassessing your finances and are not in contact with your broker, do yourself (and your cashflow) a favour and call us now!

When purchasing a property, refinancing or just renegotiating with your current lender, borrowers can generally decide between fixed-interest loans that maintain the same interest rate over a specific period of time, or variable-rate loans that charge interest according to market rate fluctuations.

Fixed-rate loans usually come with a few provisos: borrowers may be restricted to maximum payments during the fixed term and can face hefty break fees for paying off the loan early, selling the property or switching to variable interest during the fixed rate period.

However, locking in the interest rate on your home loan can offer stability.

“For those conscious of a budget and who want to take a medium-to-long term position on a fixed rate, they can protect themselves from the volatility of potential rate movement,” a finance broker says.

Fixed rates are locked in for an amount of time that is prearranged between you and your lender.

“There are some lenders that offer seven-year or 10-year fixed terms, but generally one to five years are the most popular,” the finance broker says. “The three and five-year terms are generally the most popular for customers because a lot can change in that time.”

Further to this, fixed-rate loans can also be pre-approved. This means that you can apply for the fixed-rate loan before you find the property you want to buy.

“When you apply for a fixed rate, you can pay a fixed rate lock-in fee also known as a ‘rate lock’, which will, depending on the lender, give you between 60 and 90 days from the time of application to settle the loan at that fixed rate,” the broker explains.

“It will also depend on the lender as to whether the rate lock will be applied on application or approval,” added the broker. “It is important to be clear on this issue as it has been known to be a common point of error”.

Pre-approval helps you to discern how much money you are likely to have approved on official application. Knowing that your potential lender will offer a fixed-term fixed interest loan gives further peace of mind for those borrowers looking to budget precisely rather than be susceptible to rate fluctuations.

In addition, borrowers should consider the possibility of arranging a ‘split’ loan. This option allows you to split your loan between fixed and variable rates – either 50/50 or at some other ratio. This can allow you to ‘lock in’ a fixed interest rate for up to 5 years on a portion of your loan, while the remainder is on a variable rate which may give you more flexibility when interest rates change and potentially minimise the risks associated with interest rate movements. Also, be aware that at the end of the fixed-rate term, your loan agreement will include information about how the loan will then be managed by the lender, usually to a ‘revert’ variable rate – which may not be the lowest the lender offers.

If you would like any further information please give us a call to discuss.