Your mortgage will probably be the biggest debt you’ll ever take on, so it’s important to choose your loan wisely and manage it well. With so many choices available, look around and take advice from a mortgage adviser.

The majority of our customers are busy professionals; self employed or professional property investors, all of whom value their time and wish to benefit from the specialist advice that is available to them. Our customers enjoy the feeling of confidence and security knowing that they can leave the paperwork in our hands. They value our advice and we value them as customers.

It’s important to remember who we work for. It’s you the customer. We will not place business with a loan provider based on a supplier relationship, we do so based on what would be the best fit for our customer and their needs.

Every customer receives a home loan report. This illustrates the advice process and culminates in a recommendation to the customer. It provides transparency and a summary of advice. It’s a great tool for focusing on financial goals and shows you how we arrived at your personal recommendation.

We offer all of this as a free service to the customer.

With a wide range of options available from a wide range of interest only loans, fixed loans and revolving credit facilities, we can analyse which suits your requirements and offer advice on the most suitable. 

Variable rate home loans

Sometimes called a floating rate, the interest rate can move up or down with market conditions.  You will pay less interest if rates fall.  However, you’ll pay more if interest rates rise.

Flexi Home Loan (Revolving credit)

Flexi Home Loans offer you flexibility in managing your repayments and the freedom to draw down funds against your loan through a revolving credit facility. 

With a reducing limit, you not only have the flexibility to repay and draw down funds on your loan, but also the added security of knowing that as the limit reduces you will pay off your loan over a period of time.

With a Flexi Home Loan, you have the flexibility to redraw at any time, up to your maximum agreed limit – great news if you’re renovating your home, buying a new car or taking a holiday. You can also make additional repayments without penalty. This means you can save thousands of dollars in interest and take years off the term of your home loan.

Fixed rate home loans

Your repayments won’t change during the term of the fixed rate, even if market rates move – which is great for planning or if you’re on a fixed income. If interest rates increase, your interest rate and repayment amounts remain the same. However most providers allow to repay addtional funds on top of your normal repayments.

Combinations

Because Home Loans are all about flexibility and putting you in control, you don’t have to choose just one type of loan – you can choose a combination.

For example, many people choose a fixed rate for a portion of their loan, and put the rest on variable rate.
This combination gives you budgeting certainty from the fixed portion of your loan, and flexibility from the variable part. The variable portion lets you make extra repayments or change the amount of your repayments, which can save you more money over time. It can be the best of both worlds.

Research the loans available

Before choosing a loan, research the loans available.  We have access to a variety of loans from different providers including fixed and floating rates.

Calculate how much you can borrow

Before applying for a loan amount, check out how much you’ll be able to borrow.  Contact Us for help on working this out.

Your deposit

The deposit you need depends on the value of the property you want to buy. You can usually get started on as little as a 5%-10% deposit. Today 100% loans are becoming more popular. The bigger your deposit, the more money you can save – you’ll reduce the chance of having to pay mortgage insurance, your loan repayments will be lower and you’ll pay less interest.  So it makes sense to start saving now.  We can give you advice on saving for a home deposit.


Get your loan pre-approved

Whether you're buying your first home, an investment property, or even refinancing, it pays to get ahead of the game with a pre-approved loan.

With a pre-approved loan you can move fast when you find the property you’re looking for.  Loan pre-approval usually takes about 24-48 hours. Talk to us about getting your loan pre-approved.

Know your loan costs

It’s valuable to understand the different loan costs you may incur when buying a home.  We can take you through all the costs and benefits of the different loan options we offer.

Making an offer on a property

There are two things you’ll need to know about making an offer to ensure you’re getting a good deal.

1. What the property is worth
   
2. How much the seller wants to receive.
   

Ways of valuing a property include:

Market value  – based on what similar homes are selling for in the same area and taking into account the size of the property, its characteristics and general state of repair. 

What the vendor will accept – this is harder to find out than market value. Sometimes the real estate agent will provide some indication of how much less than the asking price the seller might take. Sellers may reveal whether their priority is price or a quick sale in the course of conversation or a guided tour. (You should remember though that the real estate agent is working on behalf of the seller - not the buyer).

You can get a good feel for the market through research. Working with the real estate agent and valuer, you should be able to come up with a fair offer that works for you and the vendor.  And you should probably consider getting a building report done too.

Solicitors

You can use the services of a solicitor to settle your loan, or do the legal work yourself. However, unless you're prepared to work through all the steps in detail, it's usually best to hire a solicitor who specialises in property purchase. 

Buying at auction

You should always try and go to a few auctions before actually taking part. This will help you get an idea of the sorts of prices different properties sell for, and the patterns and styles of bidding you'll likely encounter.

Preparation

When you find a property you want to bid for at auction, you'll need to be clear about a few things before you start:

• The value of the property
• The maximum amount you're willing to spend 
• The maximum loan amount you've had pre-approved.  Remember that 'subject to finance' clauses cannot be included in an auction. The binding nature of an auction means that you need to be committed before you make a bid.
• Exactly what you're purchasing (find out what’s included in the price – fixtures, furniture, light fittings, curtains, etc.)

Before you start bidding, check what methods of payment are acceptable to the auctioneer. A bank cheque is usually preferred.  Some auctioneers may accept a personal cheque.

Research takes some of the risk out of property investment. We’ve put together some tips on understanding the residential investment market and investing in property to get you started.

The investment property market can be a minefield, so it pays to do some research first. This information is provided as a guide only. We recommend you use contact one of TFG's advisers to discuss your home loan needs.

Understanding the market, choosing the right type of property and knowing how to avoid the hazards are the keys to making property investment work for you. 

Here are a few pointers to begin your research. 

A business decision

Remember, investing in property should be a business decision. You’re not going to live in the property, so it’s irrelevant whether you like the design.

Location, location, location

Select a property that you expect to increase in value – at least during the time you intend to keep it. It should also have all the expected amenities, a good outlook, nearby schools and shops and be in a good location. Location is one of the driving factors affecting the price of an investment property – and the rental returns you can expect from it.

Tenants

You may not find tenants immediately, or there may be periods when you are between tenancies. Make sure you allow for at least a two or three week period in each year when you won't receive any rental income.

Vacancy rates

To find tenants easily, invest in an area with few rental vacancies.

Negative gearing

If you’ve borrowed money to buy an investment property, you'll be making loan repayments to the bank. If you’re renting the property out, you'll receive income from the property in the form of rent from your tenants.
If the interest part of your loan repayments (plus any other investment expenses) is more than the income you receive from rent, you can claim the difference as a tax deduction. This is “negative gearing”. It may reduce your taxable income and thus save you money on tax.

Put simply, negative gearing of property lets you (under current law) claim losses and tax deductions when you expect to make profits in the future. This means that if you negatively gear your property, these items are 100% tax deductible (including mortgage repayments, property taxes, insurance, maintenance and rental fees!).

Note - this information is intended as a guide only and tax rules are subject to change.  We recommend that you discuss your personal taxation position with your tax adviser.

Other things to consider

• There are start-up costs associated with purchasing a property – conveyancing and other legal costs.
• There are also maintenance costs  rates, insurance, water bills – and the costs of finding tenants and collecting rents.
• Getting your money out of the property in a hurry may be difficult.
• You may also find you lack the flexibility to adjust your investment strategy quickly and easily.

Want to know more? Contact Us for further information 

If you have a mortgage, you may be paying more than you need to, so a regular review of  your mortgage may result in significant savings.

Most homeowners have experienced a significant rise in the value of their property in recent years. Restructuring your existing loan or refinancing to a different lender  may enable you to release some of that capital to make improvements to your home, or perhaps buy a new car or take the family on that long overdue holiday, or save you money.

Building a new home is complex, especially when you're starting from scratch with just a block of land. It requires planning, preparation, organisation, management and know how.

But don't be discouraged - millions of people have done it before you. Here are a few tips and guidelines to help ensure you succeed. This information is provided as a guide only.

• Visit home display centres and collect house plans to research the type of home you want to build
• If you like certain parts of different plans, consider hiring an architect to design your dream home
• If you use an architect, check out some of their previous work. Do some research; find out if their previous clients have been satisfied with their work. Some architects will give you names and addresses of previous clients for testimonials
• Visit the site regularly during construction. You’re investing your hard-earned money into building a new house; make sure the construction matches your house plans/designs 
• If you’re unsure about how construction is going, speak to your architect, building services organisation or even your solicitor. Don't wait until construction is complete – speak up as soon as an issue arises
• If you need your builder to make changes that are different from your original plans, put them in writing. This will protect you against any discrepancies
• You’ll be required to make progress payments to your builder/architect, so make sure your loan lets you do this
•  Insure your home during construction – don’t wait until it’s built. Talk to us early on
  
  

We can advise on the purchase or re-financing of retail, industrial or commercial property, and give you access to a range of lending options.

It may be that you wish to buy a small commerical unit, develop a large subdivison or fund the expansion of an existing business or even acquire a new business.

You can tailor our term and seasonal rural loans to suit your needs.

Term loans – can help you purchase capital items. You make regular payments of principal and interest.

Seasonal loans – are like a large overdraft facility – they tide you over when cashflow is low. You can deposit and withdraw funds any time.

The amount you can borrow depends on your farm’s income, the property you want to buy and many other factors including your farming background, qualifications and experience.

You can take advantage of a number of other features to make buying or refinancing easier:

Want to secure an interest rate?

Several home loan providers allow you to ‘lock in’ today’s fixed rate for up to three months before you need your home loan. If the rate falls in the meantime, you’re not committed to the locked in rate – you can still take the lower rate.

Want flexibility to meet unexpected expenses?

A number of home loan providers allow you to apply for a ‘repayment holiday’ on variable rate home loans after one year.

Want to keep loan payments to an absolute minimum?

You may be interested in an interest-only home loan – available for terms of up to ten years.

Investing in property?

All providers we deal with can lend for residential investment properties.

Building or renovating?

You can take advantage of our special construction loans that give you access to the funds as your project progresses, so you’re not paying interest on the whole amount.

Need bridging finance?

We’ll be happy to discuss what a range of providers can offer.
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Spend about an hour with a home loan adviser discussing your home loan requirements and leave the rest to them. We can make getting a home loan as easy as possible.  And what’s more, we are able to offer advice on a broad range of financial services, putting in place a comprehensive financial plan tailored to you and your family’s needs.

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