Trees’ Impact on Property Value (Good and Bad)

By Graeme Salt $100, 000 – that is the difference in house prices between a well-positioned and poorly-positioned tree. According to research by the University of Technology Sydney*, a single street tree can potentially increase an average Sydney house price by $30,000. But, if a tree is too close to a home, it can actually […]

Why first timers may be wise buying a place – even as prices rise

Would-be first-time buyers are caught between a rock and hard place – either they buy at exalted prices, or they remain as tenants and pay exorbitant rents. The first-time buyer market is turbo-charged due to government incentives that only seem to benefit sellers. Yet, with rents also increasing dramatically, would-be buyers may still be best […]

Can Older Australians Get a Mortgage?

By Graeme Salt Many banks are realistic about lending to older Australians. Over the past 20 years, the number of Australians aged 55 to 64 who own their homes outright has almost halved. Meanwhile the portion of homeowners older than 65 with mortgage debt has gone from 4 per cent in 2002-03 to about 13 […]

How Offset Accounts Can Save You Thousands on Your Home Loan

How-Offset-Accounts-Can-Save-You-Money

How Offset Accounts Can Save You Thousands on Your Home Loan If you’re paying off a mortgage, you need to understand offset accounts. They’re one of the most effective ways to reduce the interest you pay and build equity faster. What’s an offset account? It’s a savings account linked to your home loan. The balance […]

If rates go up next week, what will it do to property?

By Graeme Salt Inflation figures released today, indicate that we are up for an interest rate rise. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, inflation gained a further 3.8 per cent – economists had been predicting a rise of 3.4 per cent. As a result, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is likely to raise […]

Getting Mortgage-Ready: 5 Steps to Strengthen Your Financial Position

Prepare you loan application with Origin

Are you ready to take the first step towards homeownership? Strengthening your financial position is crucial for a successful mortgage application. Discover the five essential steps to improve your chances of approval, from checking your credit score to organizing your financial documents. Learn how to reduce debt, build savings, and stabilize your income to become a more attractive borrower. At Origin Finance, we’re dedicated to guiding you through the mortgage process with tailored solutions. Don’t miss out on your dream home—read on to find out how to get mortgage-ready today!

Big Australia’s impact on the property market

By Graeme Salt There’s set to be 40 million Australians by the 2050s.  Where will we house them? Already 52 per cent of us live in the three biggest cities.  Despite its size, Australia is highly urbanised. And this urban concentration is not just confined to the largest cities; eight in 10 Western Australians and […]

Looking to buy a property but waiting for prices to drop?

By Graeme Salt Want to buy but nervous of a collapse in property prices? Chances are you will be waiting a very long time. Research just release by Cotality shows that over the past four decades, there were only six years where home values fell.  At most it was a 6.1 per cent drop in […]

Where do you want to live?

By Graeme Salt I thought about buying an apartment yesterday, but got cold feet as it made me wonder what do we want from a home? I am a ‘rentvester’; I have decided to rent where I want to live while building an investment portfolio of properties around the country. But, I am starting to […]