News

It feels like the future has just about arrived. Have you heard about ChatGPT? The latest version was released to the public in the last couple of weeks and feels a bit like magic. It can answer questions, write short screenplays and summarise notes, amongst countless other uses. It’s not perfect, but the technology is...

Forget Boxing Days, Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays—the real bargains up for grabs are on the property market. Okay, ‘bargains’ might be a bit of a stretch, but for the first time since prices went ballistic during the pandemic, sea and tree-change hotspots are selling at a discount. Okay, ‘discount’ might be a stretch, but...

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has driven the cash rate up by another 25 basis points to 3.10%. Find out how much this final cash rate hike of the year has increased your mortgage repayments in 2022, and what you can expect in 2023. The good news? This is it. You can head into...

They say all good things come to an end, and that includes your ultra-low fixed-rate home loan period. So what can you do to ensure a smooth transition? With the past couple of years offering historically low interest rates, many Australians have been able to lock in an ultra-low fixed-rate home loan. In fact, in...

Australia’s population currently sits at around 25.8 million. By the end of 2030, that number is expected to be closer to 29 million. By land mass, we’re only about 27% smaller than the US, though their population sits at 331.9 million. With that in mind—sure, geographically, we’ve got enough room for an extra 3 million...

For many Australians, rate hikes and inflation have made the dream of property ownership feel ever more distant. But a recent analysis shows that meeting mortgage repayments could actually be cheaper than renting for more than a third of Australian properties. Look, we get it. Often the biggest obstacle in the way of home ownership...

Sydney house prices are falling at their fastest rate in decades, with a 5.2% decline over the September quarter wiping close to $80K off the median sale price—which is currently approx. $1,464,000. Still, that’s no small price tag. Many are still finding themselves priced out of the market, and with rates continuing to climb, buying...

Whoa, Nelly! The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has lifted the official cash rate again, this time by another 25 basis points to 2.85%. How much will this rate rise increase your monthly mortgage repayments, and when are the hikes expected to stop? Dubbed the “rate that stops the nation”, today’s Melbourne Cup RBA board...

Whether you’re on the giving or receiving end of one of Australia’s biggest financial institutions—The Bank of Mum and Dad—chances are the relationship’s been put under a bit of strain this year. Alas, if you’ve never transacted with the increasingly tapped fund, news of its duress might even inspire a wry smile. With six consecutive...

Life is getting expensive, isn’t it? Nothing’s changed on the shopping list, but the total has definitely changed on the receipt. Add six back-to-back interest rate hikes to the equation and a 12% rise in median unit rents across Sydney, and you’ve got a cost-of-living conundrum on your hands. But while it might feel like...