Lending Archives - Holzworth Partners

24 Apr 2024

House Prices Continue To Rise as Number of Landlords Increase

While buying a home to live in remains out of reach for many Australians, investors are flooding back into the housing market. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows lending to investors - otherwise known as landlords, has jumped almost 20 per cent in the past year. That is, almost four in 10 people taking out a mortgage now are landlords. The combination of rising house prices, rising population growth (mostly due to migration), rising

17 Apr 2024

Navigating Queensland’s First Home Concession

By Kerri Tucker

In Queensland, stepping into the property market can be significantly more accessible for first-time homebuyers, thanks to the First Home Concession on transfer duty. This concession is a boon for eligible buyers, potentially saving them a substantial amount on the costs associated with purchasing a home. Here’s what both real estate agents and first-time buyers need to know about qualifying and applying for this benefit. Eligibility Criteria To avail of the First Home Concession, several

7 Nov 2023

Timing Your Mortgage Refinance for Maximum Benefits

By Jane Purnell

Are you contemplating a mortgage refinance? You likely understand that refinancing can be a powerful tool for optimising your financial situation. But when is the right time to make that move? Refinancing can provide various benefits, such as lower interest rates, reduced monthly payments, and even the ability to tap into your home's equity for other financial goals. Here are a few key factors to consider when determining the right moment for a mortgage refinance:

7 Nov 2023

Unlocking Investment Potential: Borrowing for Property with Your SMSF

By Jane Purnell

Why Consider Property Investment with Your SMSF? Diversifying your SMSF investments beyond traditional assets like stocks and bonds can be a wise decision. Property investment offers several advantages, such as potential rental income and capital appreciation. Here's a brief overview of the benefits: Tax Efficiency: Rental income and capital gains from property held within an SMSF can be taxed lower, potentially boosting your returns. Portfolio Diversification: Adding a property to your SMSF can help spread

23 Aug 2023

What is the latest insight on interest rates? Is there relief in sight or only more pain?

By Mark Holzworth

Australian banks announced big profits over the past several weeks, and have been roundly criticised by many believing the fees charged (including interest rates) are excessive. What is not well known is that banks have passed on only 2.73% of the RBA’s (Reserve Bank of Australia) 4.00% rate increases since early 2022 as at June 2023. This has actually been a cushioning effect for borrowers. Banks have been competing aggressively and on average have not

13 Jul 2023

ESG (environmental, social impact and good governance) Investing – What is it, should you do it, and how to do it?

By Jane Purnell

There is increasing talk about the type of investing which considers environmental, social impact, and good governance (ESG) factors when making investment decisions. To understand if it is all just hype or whether its an important part of the future of investment let’s explore the topic. What is it? ESG factors can include things like a businesses' carbon emissions, its labour practices, and its board diversity. There are a number of reasons why investors might

4 Jul 2023

Pace is Gaining in Housing Market Recovery

By Jane Purnell

The national Home Value Index (HVI) assembled by CoreLogic has recorded a third consecutive monthly rise. The index captured continued growth in May of 1.2%, helped by low levels of available housing supply as owners continued to hold properties. By comparison, home values for March and April grew 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively. Notwithstanding the high uptick in price recovery, most housing markets across the country were still recording values well below their recent peaks. The

11 Mar 2023

Does your fixed-rate expire soon?

By Jane Purnell

While it may seem like a distant memory now, two years ago home loan rates were being lowered everywhere. Locking in your mortgage rate was an excellent opportunity for many people. Since then there has been a significant shift in the interest rate landscape, with mortgage rates broadly following the perpendicular path of the official cash rate. As a result, homeowners who fixed a portion of or all of their loan during 2020 or 2021