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Best Home Loans
Between comparing lenders, home loan rates, and loan features, finding the right loan for you can be overwhelming. Whether you want to take out a mortgage, refinance your home loan, or get another housing-related loan, we’ll help you cut through the noise so that you can get the keys to your new pad. Continue reading...
Best Home Loan
Whether you’re buying your first home or an investment property, need a building or home renovation loan, or refinancing a loan, Loan Gallery Finance has a team of finance and mortgage brokers who can help find a solution that works for you.
- Transparency 5.0 (454)
- Customer Service5.0 (472)
- Application Process4.9 (427)
- Timeliness 4.9 (413)
- Loan Term28.226 years
- Business TypeMortgage Broker
With access to over 45 lenders and a team dedicated to finding the best solution for your needs, Mortgage Domayne is a one-stop shop for home loans, commercial loans, and conveyancing.
- Transparency 5.0 (383)
- Customer Service5.0 (391)
- Application Process4.9 (363)
- Timeliness 4.9 (356)
- Loan Term28.897 years
- Business TypeMortgage Broker
Boutique mortgage brokerage Loan Studio offers a variety of home and property loans - as well as financial planning and insurance services - to suit you regardless of your personal and financial circumstances.
- Transparency 5.0 (187)
- Customer Service5.0 (188)
- Application Process5.0 (174)
- Timeliness 4.9 (175)
- Loan Term28.813 years
Professional Partners is a mortgage broker that helps clients find the right lender, loan structure, and repayment plan - all with minimal fuss.
- Transparency 5.0 (113)
- Customer Service5.0 (117)
- Application Process4.9 (102)
- Timeliness 4.9 (100)
- Loan Term29.231 years
Whether you’re a first home buyer or a seasoned investor, Mortgage Broker Melbourne has a range of loan solutions for you.
- Transparency 4.9 (111)
- Customer Service5.0 (111)
- Application Process4.9 (97)
- Timeliness 4.9 (99)
- Loan Term29.333 years
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Aussie offers a variety of home loans for those looking to buy a home, refinance their existing loan, or invest in property, as well as business loans and finance options for vehicles.
- Transparency 4.9 (3,303)
- Customer Service4.9 (3,435)
- Application Process4.8 (3,304)
- Timeliness 4.8 (3,286)
- Loan Term26.743 years
Domain Home Loan Finder partners with Lendi to help you navigate the home loans process, and provides help with both refinancing and applying for new home loans.
- Transparency 4.7 (864)
- Customer Service4.8 (889)
- Application Process4.7 (796)
- Timeliness 4.7 (783)
- Loan Term27.075 years
Latest review: Ginny from ARG Finance did a marvellous job with our refinancing. I found Ginny is very knowledgeable, willing to assist, answers all questions patiently and best thing about him being he is
- Transparency 4.9 (131)
- Customer Service4.9 (133)
- Application Process4.9 (120)
- Timeliness 4.9 (124)
- Loan Term26.171 years
Latest review: Credithub was the perfect choice for my home loan application. I was assisted by Kamal Singh through out this process. The process was a bit complex and time consuming but Kamal was not only easy to
- Transparency 5.0 (130)
- Customer Service5.0 (140)
- Application Process5.0 (122)
- Timeliness 4.9 (123)
- Loan Term26.45 years
- Business TypeMortgage Broker
Latest review: Alexander has been instrumental in the success of putting in place our home loan for our land investment in Queensland. Alexander’s knowledge, support and guidance is second to none. He really goes a
- Transparency 5.0 (114)
- Customer Service5.0 (111)
- Application Process5.0 (79)
- Timeliness 5.0 (78)
- Loan Term28.364 years
Latest review: So happy with UNO's service and how they operate. Tommy , Dalby and Jena we're great to work with. They really made this process easy and understandable. I'd highly recommend them for anyone wanting
- Transparency 4.9 (169)
- Customer Service4.9 (175)
- Application Process4.8 (156)
- Timeliness 4.7 (154)
- Loan Term25.329 years
Latest review: I was going through Diana Armour. She kept saying she was gonna help but then wouldn't answer the phone for days or would fob me off with silly stories. I will be finding another broker or even doing
- Transparency 4.6 (247)
- Customer Service4.6 (258)
- Application Process4.7 (239)
- Timeliness 4.6 (237)
- Loan Term26.4 years
Mortgage House is a non-bank lender that has helped Aussies achieve home ownership with a variety of loans to suit all kinds of personal, professional, and financial needs and circumstances.
- Transparency 4.6 (1,405)
- Customer Service4.7 (1,481)
- Application Process4.6 (1,354)
- Timeliness 4.5 (1,358)
- Loan Term26.213 years
Home loan platform Lendi lets borrowers compare, apply for, and settle their home loan, connecting them to over 25 Australian banks and lenders to find them a great deal.
- Transparency 4.7 (1,707)
- Customer Service4.7 (1,758)
- Application Process4.6 (1,721)
- Timeliness 4.5 (1,685)
- Loan Term25.526 years
Latest review: Fantastic personalised service to support us with all our questions and complete the application. Thanks to everyone involved! You all replied within 24 hours. The only negative was the increase in
- Transparency 4.8 (164)
- Customer Service4.8 (170)
- Application Process4.7 (163)
- Timeliness 4.7 (162)
- Loan Term27.557 years
Latest review: My wife and I have used Lumbini to work with financing our home and investment property. He kept in close contact through every step of the process. He found us a great loan and explained how the new
- Transparency 5.0 (57)
- Customer Service5.0 (58)
- Application Process4.9 (52)
- Timeliness 4.9 (52)
- Loan Term27.125 years
Latest review: I had an easy time managing finance with Aarjoo. She is very professional but at the same time lets you be at ease when dealing with your finances. I had a great experience having her as my mortgage
- Transparency 4.8 (32)
- Customer Service4.9 (31)
- Application Process4.8 (32)
- Timeliness 4.8 (32)
- Loan Term26.111 years
Latest review: We had moved our loans across to Homestar and started the journey of topping up and the process from start to finish was flawless. Edy was our relationship manager and he was extremely knowledgeable,
- Transparency 4.5 (647)
- Customer Service4.6 (663)
- Application Process4.4 (648)
- Timeliness 4.2 (639)
- Loan Term27.153 years
Latest review: We decided to move away from the big banks (won’t name and shame) seems as though they’re only interested in “new” clients. Glad we did- Mezy have been really helpful with our refinance. With the mone
- Transparency 4.3 (355)
- Customer Service4.5 (366)
- Application Process4.3 (310)
- Timeliness 4.2 (317)
- Loan Term25.632 years
Types of loan providers
Banks
The Big Four banks - that is, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac, and ANZ - dominate the home loan market. There are also plenty of smaller, more local banks (think banks like Bendigo Bank and ING) that offer a variety of home loans - so do some international banks that operate in Australia.
Pros
Cons
Non-bank lenders
Non-bank lenders are those which don’t hold a banking license - they’re not a bank, a building society, or a credit union. These lenders still have to follow the same laws, rules and regulations as banks, so they’re still as safe to use as traditional banks.
Online lenders - such as Lendi, Athena Home Loans, and Tic:Toc Home Loans - fall into this category, and are on the rise thanks to the convenience and competitive rates they offer.
Pros
Cons
Is it worth getting a mortgage broker?
If you’re having difficulty comparing loans and lenders, then a mortgage broker may be able to help you find the right loan for you. This is a licensed professional who brings borrowers and lenders together, and helps you apply for the loan and assist you throughout the process through to settlement.
Often home loan brokers are paid commission by lenders, so you don’t have to pay for their services. They may however be offered incentives by a lender to offer you certain loans, which could influence which loans they recommend to you.
What to consider when you compare home loans
Eligibility
Different lenders have different eligibility criteria for taking out a home loan, so ensure that you check the requirements of each lender you’re considering so that you don’t waste your time with a lengthy application process.
Depending on your situation, you may also be eligible for a government incentive, such as the First Home Owner Grant - this grant requires that you move into your new home within 12 months, and live in it for at least 6 months.
Loan purpose
You should ensure that the type of loan you’re taking out is the right option for your loan purpose, depending on whether you’re a first-time home buyer, refinancing your mortgage, buying an investment property, looking for a construction loan, or something else.
A construction loan, for example, differs from a regular home loan in that it progressively lets you access money as you complete different phases of your home’s construction.
Loan repayment type
There are 2 ways to repay your loan: with principle and interest repayments, or with interest-only repayments.
Principal and interest repayments
Most Australians get this type of loan. With this loan, you make regular repayments on the principal (the amount borrowed), and you pay interest on that amount. These generally have a lower interest rate than interest-only loans, and you’ll usually own your home sooner.
Interest-only repayments
For interest-only home loans, you only make repayments on the interest on the amount borrowed for an initial period of time. Because you’re not making repayments on the principal, your debt doesn’t reduce.
While your mortgage repayments might be lower during the interest-only period, they’ll increase after that, so you have to ensure that you can afford this.
Initial deposit amount
When you take out a loan, you’ll have to make a home loan deposit, which is usually at least 10 to 20% of the purchase price.
While most lenders require a deposit of 20%, some will allow low deposit home loans, but you’ll likely have to pay Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) - this protects the lender against any losses in the event that you’re unable to repay your loan.
However, first home buyers may be able to buy a property with as little as a 5% deposit home loan without forking out for LMI under the Australian Government’s First Home Loan Deposit Scheme.
A higher deposit means you borrow less (as you have a lower loan amount) and pay less interest over the life of the loan. You might also be able to score better home loan interest rate deals that can mean even more savings in your pocket.
Interest rate and type
It’s recommended to aim for the lowest possible interest rate on your loan, as even small differences between these mortgage rates can wind up saving you thousands over the loan.
When taking out a home loan, you can choose between a fixed rate or a variable rate.
Fixed home loan rates
Fixed rate home loans have an interest rate that stays the same for a set period of time (for example, 5 years). The rate then turns into a variable rate.
Pros
Cons
Variable home loan rates
A variable interest rate in a housing loan can fluctuate depending on changes in the market.
Pros
Cons
If you’re not leaning towards either of these, you can also get a partially-fixed rate, or a split loan. This means that part of your loan (you can decide how to split it) has a fixed rate and the remainder has a variable rate.
Budget better by knowing your monthly repayment
Your monthly repayment is a figure that represents how much you have to pay each month on a loan. This helps you know exactly what you’re signing up for, so you’re not stretched too thin, or conversely, not paying less than what you can afford.
If it suits you better, you can also calculate your weekly or fortnightly repayment.
Loan features
Some loans have extra features that can give you greater flexibility in how you access and use them. However, these features usually come at a higher cost, so you should weigh up your options to see if you’ll use them in a way that makes the higher price worth it.
- Offset account: This is a transaction account that’s linked to your home loan. The balance of this account can be offset against what you owe on your home loan.
- Extra repayments: A loan that lets you make extra repayments lets you pay off your loan faster, saving you in paying interest. Most variable rate loans allow this, while some fixed rate loans limit how much extra you can repay.
- Redraw facility: This lets you withdraw any extra payments you’ve made on your loan, which can be useful for emergencies. Your lender may charge a redraw fee or restrict how much money you can redraw.
- Portability: With a portable home loan, you can sell your home and purchase a new one with the same home loan, without needing to refinance.
- Line of credit: A line of credit home loan lets you borrow some of the built-up equity in your home. You can withdraw up to a certain amount (the credit limit) determined by your lender.
Loan term
The loan term refers to the length of time you have to pay off your loan. A typical loan term is 30 years, although depending on your situation, you can also find terms ranging from around 20 to 40 years.
It’s generally recommended to get the shortest loan term that you can afford - you’ll have to make higher home loan repayments, but you’ll pay less interest, saving you more in the long run.
Fees
You should read the fine print to figure out all the fees associated with your home loan, so you’re not surprised with a large sum down the track. Usually you’ll have to pay an application fee (also called an establishment, up-front, or set-up fee), which is a one-off payment that you pay when starting your loan.
You’ll probably also have to pay ongoing fees, such as service fees that are charged periodically (usually monthly or yearly) to a lender for administering your loan.
Find the comparison rate to know exactly what you’re paying
The comparison rate of a loan is the sum that indicates the cost of the loan, including the interest rate and most fees. This includes all upfront and ongoing costs, so you’ll get a good idea of how much you’ll be forking out over your loan.
If you’re tossing up between a few different loans, this figure can help make choosing between your options easier.
Comparing loan providers
When comparing providers, you should also look into the following:
- The application process. The application process should be relatively simple, and should suit your needs. For example, if you need to organise a loan quickly, then you may want to opt for an online lender who can offer faster results.
- The transparency of the lender. A lender should be upfront with you with all information relating to your loan, whether it’s positive or negative.
- The lender’s customer service. Your home loan doesn’t end after you’ve finished your application, which is why timely, helpful customer service is important to make things as easy as they possibly can be for you.
Reading online reviews can help you determine the overall experience and quality of care a lender can give you, as well give you an indication of how straightforward the application process is.
The bottom line
You should be realistic about how much you can borrow. Take into account rising interest rates that could mean increased loan repayments for you - giving yourself a bit of breathing room, and considering how your personal and financial circumstances could change should help you find a loan that’s right for you.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice from the website owner - ProductReview.com.au. ProductReview.com.au is not a financial adviser. You should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice to check how the website information relates to your unique circumstances. ProductReview.com.au is not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by use of this website.