Mortgage Index – April 2015
Biggest month for mortgages in 21 years: March figures AFG, Australia’s largest mortgage broker, processed $5.2 billion in mortgages last month – the biggest volume in any single month for the company in its 21 years in business. The $5.2 billion figure represents a 29% increase on March last year. It equates to a total […]
AFG appoints one of its own to head up AFG Home Loans division
Australia’s largest mortgage broker has appointed Chris Slater, former Head of Sales and Operations for the own label division, to the role of General Manager AFG Home Loans. Chris has been with the organisation for eight years starting out as a National Account Manager and then moving to the role of State Manager for NSW/ACT in […]
Save your way to mortgage freedom – savings account or offset account
Australia has once again become a nation of savers. No longer is debt de rigueur. In this post-GFC era, we prefer to play it safe with lower levels of debt and are looking for ways to be debt-free faster. Savvy savers are making the most of the low-interest rates and their savings by maximising offset accounts. […]
Mortgage Index – March 2015
‘Super Wednesday’ for mortgages as sales surge: February figures But investor figures remain steady. Mortgages processed last month by AFG, Australia’s largest mortgage broker, surged 58% higher than in January, and 16% higher than in February 2014 according to figures published in today’s AFG Mortgage Index. The $4.3 billion of mortgages processed in February included […]
Social clicks tick the box for business
The past five years have seen social media make a steady march into mainstream business strategy. More than 90 percent of small and medium businesses in Australia are on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, however, pundits warn that many businesses aren’t making the most of digital enterprise opportunities. The biggest risk is simply doing nothing, according […]
Till Death Do Us Part – Guide to your legal will
Australians’ “she’ll-be-right” attitude to life may be creating unnecessary angst when we die. More than 45 per cent of us don’t have a will, which means we risk any assets being distributed according to a government formula, not necessarily our wishes. If you want to make sure everything you have worked hard for is passed […]
Buyer blunders and how to avoid them for investment properties
Your home is likely to be the biggest purchase you make, so it’s something you want to get right. Mistakes can be stressful and costly. Here are the biggest ones buyers make and some tips to help you avoid them. Letting your heart rule your head. It’s often easy to be dispassionate about investment properties […]
Mortgage Index – February 2015
Massive home loan grab by big banks: January figures Major lenders grabbed an additional 7.4% of the home loan market in January, a huge gain for a single month, bringing the total mortgages processed for them to 74.9% of all loans according to AFG, Australia’s largest mortgage broker. The additional 7.4% represents around $206 million […]
Boosting rental return on investment
You’ve taken the plunge into the investment property pool and now have to find tenants. Although most rental markets throughout Australia remain tight, there’s still a need to put your property’s best foot forward to attract optimum returns. Here are some of the ways you can add value and ask for more rent and get […]
Social media and small business – what are the common pitfalls, and how to transform clicks into customers.
The past five years have seen social media make a steady march into mainstream business strategy. More than 90 percent of small and medium businesses in Australia are on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, however, pundits warn that many businesses aren’t making the most of the digital enterprise opportunities. The biggest risk is simply doing nothing, […]