Australian mortgage holders are now beginning to feel the real impact of February’s Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cash rate increase, as lenders pass higher funding costs through to borrowers. Since the RBA lifted the cash rate on 3 February, most lenders, including Australia’s four major banks – have increased their variable home loan rates.…
Australia’s property market is tightening – and fast. Low housing stock and rising property prices are creating a more competitive environment for buyers, while at the same time opening up unexpected opportunities for existing homeowners. Recent data highlights just how quickly conditions are shifting. According to Cotality, Australia’s median property price rose 1.0% in November…
A record number of Australians are switching lenders – and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. According to the latest ABS data, external refinances in the September quarter jumped 25.2% compared to last year, reaching an all-time high. This surge isn’t being driven by restless borrowers or market noise. It’s happening because the…
At CoastFin, we’re always keeping an eye on the trends that affect our clients across the Central Coast. And right now, there’s some good news: fewer Australians are falling behind on their mortgage repayments. According to the latest data from APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority), the number of home loans running 30–89 days late…
The federal government has released 50,000 new places under the Home Guarantee Scheme for the 2025-26 financial year, giving more Australians the chance to enter the property market sooner. The scheme is designed to support those who often face the biggest challenges breaking into the market – including first home buyers, single parents and…
Trends, Hotspots & Local Insights for First-Home Buyers and Investors Thinking about buying property on the Central Coast in 2025? Whether you’re a first-home buyer ready to step into the market or an investor looking to expand your portfolio, the Coast offers plenty of opportunity – but also some unique considerations. As local mortgage brokers…
Five years on from the start of the covid-19 pandemic, the property market is in a very different place. When the pandemic started, some banks predicted a crash in property prices. Instead, the national median price fell just 1.7%, before rebounding. By March 2025, the national median was 38.4% higher than in March 2020,…
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced a reduction in the cash rate from 4.35% to 4.10%. This marks the first rate cut since 2020! The move was widely anticipated, as annual inflation dropped from 3.6% in the September 2024 quarter to 3.2% in December, bringing it closer to the RBA’s target range of 2-3%.…
A key advantage in owning your own home is seeing its value increase – up an average of 21 per cent nationally last year. That increased value can be unlocked by using the equity in your mortgage to finance such things as a granny flat, create a home office, or install a new kitchen or…
The vast majority of home loan customers are currently choosing variable-rate loans over fixed-rate loans. In August 2024, 98% of new loans were variable, while 2% were fixed, according to the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. By comparison, in August 2021, when interest rates were at record-low levels, 46%…
