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Emma McLeod Finance

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25.01.2022 Some tips to help you buy your next car for less. Enjoy that new car smell longer. There is something special about buying a brand new vehicle - the smell... the pristine paint... the purring of a well timed and perfectly balanced motor.... ... So how do you ensure that feeling is not soured as you drive out of the car dealership? Car dealerships can be a very high pressured sales environment. The salesperson has a number of techniques they will utilise to ensure their bottom line is better than yours. The most important factor to ensure you obtain a 'good deal' is to do your research before you start negotiating. When buying a new vehicle, generally a number of individual transactions take place: 1. purchasing your new vehicle, 2. selling your old vehicle, and 3. organising finance. When negotiating, you should strive to win on each of these transactions. Before entering negotiations with the salesperson it is recommended you complete the following steps, which are outlined here in my latest factsheet: "Enjoy that new car smell longer!" https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au//enjoythatnewcarsmell

25.01.2022 Here are some Super Savings: In March this year Australian workers had more than $1.8 trillion stored away in superannuation funds, in part thanks to a system that generally requires employers to pay a contribution on employees behalf. From July 1, this required employer contribution jumped .25% to 9.5%.* For many wage and salary earners who benefit from these compulsory super contributions, super is often something they think about once a year when their statement arrives i...Continue reading

24.01.2022 Introducing the new home building methods that can save you a lot of time and money. In the past, prefabricated houses would connote images of tackiness and shipping container living, but prefab housing is now enjoying an avant-garde revival. Today's prefab houses consist of high end materials, follow strict green building practices and are designed by leading architects. Often they have substantially better thermal ratings than brick homes, meaning they actually cost a lot l...ess to heat and cool. Some new builders even start with a traditionally built lower floor, then build a prefabricated second floor, being less expensive and much faster than building a standard two-storey home. To find out more, download my short introductory PDF article to this style of home that is growing in popularity - Absolutely Prefabulous. https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au//absolutelyprefabulou

20.01.2022 You're a parent whose grown up kids want to buy their first home. And because you want the best for them, you probably also want to ensure that they get the correct advice before they sign anything. A truer word has never been spoken. ...and I think the best start for first home buyers is to talk through their options with someone who has done it before as well as someone who is directly involved with the process every day.... If you are a parent whose children have grown up, you've probably bought a home before. I'm helping people buy their home every day, it's my job. This means, together, we are well qualified to point your young adults in the right direction when it comes to buying their first home. So, why don't we catch up with your kids and discuss their options together. Between us, we should be able to provide helpful advice and motivation along the way. I provide home loans for just about everyone and every situation so why not try me out? It doesn't usually take long and the privacy act ensures our conversation is entirely confidential. A cuppa and a chat. It could be as simple as that.

15.01.2022 Do you know what your credit record says about you? Have you ever actually seen it? For many borrowers, it can be quite a surprise to learn that a few blotches have appeared over the years on their credit history report. ... Unfortunately, many are blissfully unaware until they apply for a home loan. Once your application has been lodged, it can be tricky to challenge your credit report and prove your worth to the lenders. Don't let this happen to you. Enrol in boot-camp today and get your credit record in shape - and the good news? You won't need to squeeze into the Lycra and start counting calories. 1) Review your credit record The first step is to get your hands on a copy of your credit history report. This can usually be done through your mortgage broker, or by directly contacting a Credit Reporting Body. There are quite a few companies who can provide your credit report to you, but the national bodies are: Veda, D&B, and Experian. 2) Challenge any discrepancies or misunderstandings If you think that there's a discrepancy on your credit history report, you can challenge these. The first step is usually to contact the company who added the incorrect information to your report, and see if they can amend it. Failing this, you can dispute the discrepancy through a Credit Reporting Body. 3) Be honest It pays to be upfront with your lender about anything on your credit report that could impact your ability to borrow. Most lenders are fairly strict, but some will take into account your explanation credit issues, and the steps you took to resolve them. 4) Cut down debt and credit Before you apply for a loan, try to reduce the amount of credit card debt - and also available credit that you have. Some borrowers are surprised to learn that a credit card with no debt owing at all - but with a high limit, can have an impact when being assessed for a loan. Try to reduce your limits wherever possible, or if you don't really use the card then consider cancelling it. 5) Know your finances Come to the first meeting with your lender or broker, prepared to explain your budget, expenses, income and your capacity to repay the loan. It's also important that you can demonstrate savings, as most lenders will require at least 5% of the purchase price in order to approve a loan. When it comes to the deposit, the more you can pay upfront, the greater your chances of being approved for a loan. If you can put down 20%, you will remove the need for Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) which could represent significant savings for you.

14.01.2022 Buying or selling - or even just thinking about it? We may not have met in person yet, but I thought you would appreciate knowing that I'm always quoting and arranging home loans for people across our suburb. If you are even remotely thinking about buying or selling, or you are just not sure what your home is worth and how much you can borrow, why not ask me to help you work it out? That way you will know exactly what you can do...and it doesn't cost anything either!... I have access to home loans for just about everyone and every situation so please try me out. It usually only takes a few minutes and the privacy act ensures our conversation is entirely confidential. A cuppa and a chat It could be as simple as that.

14.01.2022 Should you buy or build your next home? Many buyers struggling to find the right home are going back to the drawing board and building rather than buying an existing home. There are obvious benefits to a brand new home: you can build exactly what you want and enjoy shiny new surrounds, with no wear and tear costs for years to come. But there can be downsides to creating your castle....Continue reading

12.01.2022 Six Steps to becoming mortgage-free - Step 4: Offsets and Redraws Would you like to cut your mortgage by years and pay less? What if you could get your mortgage all wrapped up in record time, and spend more time doing the things you love?... Well, there are six steps you can take now, which will make a real difference to the time it takes to pay off your loan. You could be mortgage-free sooner than you think. In the past weeks, we looked at Step 1: choosing the best loan, Step 2: changing your repayment frequency, and Step 3: Pay more to pay early. Today, find out how offset accounts and redraw facilities can help you move quickly towards losing that mortgage forever. Step 4: Offsets and Redraws Do you have a savings account that you use to put money away for a rainy day? You might be surprised to learn that this can save you money on your home loan - even if you keep the money in savings. This is commonly referred to as an offset account. Many lenders offer a 100% offset account which, when linked with your mortgage, can dramatically reduce the interest that you pay on your loan. The reason for this, is that the savings 'offset' what you owe, and you're only charged interest on your loan amount - minus your savings. This can have a significant impact on your loan in the long term. For example, if you have a loan of $400k, and keep $30k in an offset account, you could save over $150k in interest over the life of your loan. Another handy mortgage feature to look out for is a redraw facility. This allows you to make extra repayments on your loan whenever you want, but gives you the flexibility of taking that additional money back in the future if your plans change. By taking advantage of offset accounts and redraw facilities, you can take control of your financial goals today, and pay your loan off sooner. Want to escape your mortgage as soon as possible? Stay tuned for Step 5: Don't take candy from strangers.

12.01.2022 Is your old equipment slowing you down? Old tech? Outdated machinery? Vehicle breakdowns? Will the purchase of new assets or equipment speed you up, help you become more efficient and help you get ahead? Asset finance is often the answer. ... Financing new equipment, instead of purchasing it outright, can be a good way to preserve cash flow and working capital while adding an asset that can begin to generate immediate income. And, of course, there may be potential tax advantages that could also come your way.

12.01.2022 Discover how to turn your home equity into a better retirement for you. If you have equity stored away in your home, now could be the perfect time to tap into it for an investment property. Equity is simply the difference between the value of your home and what you owe on it. If you have a property valued at $500,000 and owe $200,000 on it, you have $300,000 equity available....Continue reading

10.01.2022 If you're like me, you've read the occasional newspaper over the past 12 months, and you probably couldn't help noticing that home loans and real estate have been the subject of some serious changes. So if you think about it, it's possible that your home loan could benefit from a slight update as well. Nothing too serious, but it's probably worth having a look. You see, you may have a home loan with a lender who has a new or better product. Now they are unlikely to call you a...nd let you know about this, aren't they? Or you may have a fixed rate loan that you can now justify converting back to a variable rate. So if you're not exactly sure where you stand with your current home loan, why not give me a call and I'll check it out for you. You can jump on my website and test our debt consolidation calculator to see how much you could save each month just by refinancing or consolidating some of your debt. It doesn't cost anything to find out if everything is still OK and it usually only takes a few minutes. The least I can do is point you in the right direction, and the privacy act ensures our conversation is entirely confidential. What do you think?

06.01.2022 How to avoid getting stuck in the borrower's 'land of confusion': Comparing the true cost of a loan can be a lot more complicated than it seems. Comparison Rates are one way of comparing loans, but it doesn't always provide a complete picture of the total cost of the loan.... Make a mistake and you could pay thousands more in interest than you should. To avoid this, have a look at this short guide - "Land of Confusion". https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au///landofconfusion.pdf

04.01.2022 Mortgage traps ahead! - Don't fall in. Do you love a bargain? It can feel like such a victory when you find that special deal on a new TV, or when you save a bundle by doing your Christmas shopping during a toy sale. Unfortunately, this sort of approach to looking for a mortgage can easily land you in hot water. Whilst it always pays to look around for a good deal on a home loan - there's also an old saying: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".... There are a few fatal traps when it comes to choosing the right loan for you. Unfortunately the excitement of buying your first home can be all too distracting, and it's easy to put your foot in it by failing to research your loan options. Irresistible Offers The majority of lenders are very responsible and cautious, and only give out loans to people likely to make their repayments. These lenders will offer the best deals their desired customer - usually someone who earns a good income, has a clean credit history report, and has a decent deposit to contribute. If you know that your circumstances don't make you particularly appealing to a lender, but you're being offered a crazy deal - there might be something amiss. Take some time to read the fine print and make sure that the loan contract doesn't contain any nasty surprises. Remember - there's no such thing as a free lunch! Fixed rates You might be tempted to lock in a low interest rate for a couple of years so that you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your repayments. The danger here, though, is that you might be missing out on features that you need, or being charged additional fees. Make sure that you research all aspects of the loan, rather than just focussing on the interest rate. Fees and Charges Loan contracts can be very detailed - packed full of confusing words and legal disclaimers. But one section that you should study with a magnifying glass is the schedule of fees and charges. Do you know whether you can make changes to your repayments? How much will it cost if you default on a repayment? What is the fee associated with ordering a statement ahead of time? And importantly - what establishment fees will you have to pay at settlement? If you don't know this amount, you might not be able to proceed with your purchase and you could lose your deposit. Flexibility and Features It's important to consider what features you need in a loan - do you want to be able to make extra repayments when times are good? Would you like to be able to take that money back again if something doesn't go according to plan? What about if you want to change your repayment frequency? The features of your loan are just as important as the interest rate - and not paying attention could mean that you end up paying a lot more in the long term.

02.01.2022 Switching home loans could help pay down your mortgage sooner, providing you are refinancing for the right reasons and understand whats involved. Heres our guide to refinancing to help you make the right move when the time comes. Know the costs: Paying 0.5 per cent less per annum on a $250,000 principal-and-interest mortgage could save you around $23,000 over the life of a 25-year loan. Thats a sizeable chunk of change back in your pocket over the long term, but there are ...Continue reading

01.01.2022 How to make sure your next home isn't a money pit. The typical home purchaser spends around 90 hours over 6 months browsing the internet, researching websites, visiting real estate agencies and inspecting no less than a dozen properties. However we only spend a little more than one hour inspecting the home we eventually purchase.... Not surprisingly, 55% of us discover 'hidden problems' after the settlement. Please read this article on how to avoid problems before finalising the purchase of your next home - Biggest Investment. https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au//biggestinvestment.pdf