Feel Good Friday – July 2026 Update
Feel Good Friday – July 2026 Update Is it just me, or is this year flying by? There’s been some frosty mornings in my part of the world so I’ll be glad to see Spring in a few short weeks – and hopefully the start of my new home build! I’ll share a little progress on the socials […]
Changes to Negative Gearing
Negative gearing changes – How will it impact me? The Federal Budget announcement on the 12th May 2026 was expected to be controversial, with the biggest shake up of our taxation system in a long time. Some people wonder if it went too far, others wonder if it went far enough? Let’s put aside the […]
Is DHOAS getting a shake up in 2026?
Is DHOAS getting a shake up in 2026? The Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS) is a benefit for eligible current and previous serving members of the ADF to assist with the cost of home ownership. It is administered by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA). In 2017, three banks were awarded the tender and […]
What secret do the banks know that you don’t?
Why Did Banks Increase Fixed Rates Before the RBA Cash Rate Announcement? If you felt like banks moved their fixed home loan rates before the latest cash rate decision — you’re not imagining it. In the weeks leading up to the most recent announcement from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), many lenders had already […]
RBA Rate Cut
RBA Rate Cuts The RBA has announced another rate cut in May 2025, bringing the cash rate down to 3.85% which is the lowest it has been since May 2023. You might be wondering what banks are passing on the rate cuts and when, so we’ll keep updating the list below as the news rolls […]
The Ethical Landlord
The Ethical Landlord Some people will tell you that ethical and landlord are two words that don’t belong in the same sentence. Most of us have heard horror stories about awful landlords with their dodgy properties that are just out to scrape every last penny from their tenants, some of you will have even experienced […]
What is a Family Guarantee?
What is a Family Guarantee? For many first home buyers trying to enter the market, saving the deposit is the hardest part. With sky-high rents and increasing cost of living, saving up even a 5% deposit can be challenging. This challenge becomes a downward spiral. The longer it takes you to save your deposit, the […]
Changes to HECS
What’s changing with HECS in 2025? HECS has hit the headlines multiple times this year, so let’s take a look at what HECS is, what’s changing, and how that might impact you. What is HECS? HECS stands for Higher Education Contribution Program. HELP stands for Higher Education Loan Program. Sometimes it’s called HECS-HELP. We’re just […]
Values-Based Finance
Values-Based Finance Principles Finance is often viewed as sitting somewhere on a scale between ‘icky necessity’ and ‘root of all evil’. It’s easy to see why. Throughout modern history we’ve seen the wealthy divide grow, and pressure on the lower class mount. Australia’s financial literacy in schools is an embarrassment, and often parents can […]
Making the most of your offset
What is an Offset account? Having an Offset feature as part of your home loan package can be a fantastic tool, if utilised correctly. The concept is simple. Any funds in your Offset account are deducted off the total loan balance each day when the bank calculates your interest payable. In this example, interest is […]