Home loans
First home buyers tap the bank of mum and dad
More first-time buyers are receiving financial help from their parents than ever as they struggle to raise a deposit in the wake of the latest property boom.
- by John Collett
Latest
As home approvals triple in WA, the hidden cost of the COVID building boom is revealed
Home building is booming in WA. The only problem is there are not enough trades or supplies to meet demand, and the ones left holding the bill are home owner hopefuls.
- by Heather McNeill
Banks dial back COVID-19 caution as economy improves
Banks are being less conservative in assessing home loan customers as the economy recovers from recession.
- by Clancy Yeates
Opinion
Property prices
First home buyer boom masks a much bigger problem
Let’s not pretend the recent surge in first home buyers - as encouraging as it is - will meaningfully change the downward trend in home ownership.
- by Clancy Yeates
Analysis
Big four
How will the end of mortgage deferrals affect the housing boom?
A key test for the property market is how it will adjust as emergency support from government and banks is wound back.
- by Clancy Yeates
‘No economic sense’: Tic:Toc breaks ranks with peers on lending changes
The fintech has developed technology to automate compliance with responsible lending laws, and says other lenders could do the same thing.
- by Clancy Yeates
House of pain: property pressure builds as investors get back in the game
It was already tough for first home buyers to break into Melbourne’s smoking hot property market, but now the investors are back.
- by Noel Towell
Look before you plunge into the housing market
Fear of missing out and record-low interest rates may be inducing some people to buy a home that could seriously harm their financial wellbeing.
- by John Collett
Banks under pressure to lift long-term rates as funding costs rise
Higher funding costs are tipped to push up four- and five-year fixed-interest mortgage rates.
- by Clancy Yeates
Opinion
Property market
House prices were expected to fall, now they’re tipped for a record rise. What’s going on?
The consensus at the height of the coronavirus outbreaks was that there would be a deep and painful fall in home values. The opposite happened. So should you trust predictions now of major price rises?
- by Jennifer Duke
Rise in higher risk loans as housing market surges
Lending to highly-geared home buyers rose in the December quarter, sparking debate over whether riskier lending is starting to re-emerge.
- by Clancy Yeates