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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. 

Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, upgrade your own or break into the investment market, 2020 is a great time to consider these options. Low-interest rates on owner-occupied and investment home loans as well as the improved first home buyer scheme mean it is more affordable than ever to buy!

Whilst buy now pay later schemes are an attractive option when purchasing goods there are plenty of hidden nasties that can potentially stop you from owning your own home. Read below to see how using services like Afterpay and Humm might be affecting your options.

Is the key to saving a home deposit as simple as giving up smashed avo toast for breakfast? Well not quite, but spending less does make a difference.

When was the last time you looked closely at your loan, the progress you are making on paying it off and how it compares to others in the market? Analysing your mortgage could mean savings for you, as well as the opportunity to pay it off more quickly, invest in other assets or reach financial freedom sooner.

Put simply CCR is a new form of credit reporting that allows credit providers to securely access more of your credit information. CCR helps show people who display sound credit management and can impact your borrowing capacity. Most banks are currently using CCR, so making sure your credit file is as positive as possible is important.  

It seems like a no brainer, right? You are buying a home, so you’ll pay off your credit cards to reduce your debt, but keep them active so you can buy some furniture or deal with emergencies even when you have a mortgage to pay. Wrong

Offset accounts and redraw facilities work in similar ways; they both allow you to reduce the balance of your home loan, and therefore the interest charged, by applying extra money to your debt.

It’s easy to get carried away with the fun part of buying a property – looking at houses – but delaying the less compelling task of arranging finance will weaken your negotiating position on both the property and the loan.

A dramatic increase in the number of lenders has highlighted the need for greater research and consideration, or ‘due diligence’, when searching and applying for a loan.