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Mortgage Choice has helped many overseas property investors to get a stake in the Australian property market by providing professional investment property loan advice and support. We understand the requirements for non-resident borrowers and your Mortgage Choice broker can help by doing the running around for you and sorting out documentation for your home loan.

Applying for a home mortgage can be an overwhelming and stressful experience. But with the right knowledge, you can make a tremendous difference to the outcome of your initial mortgage application interview. Follow our proven tips for mastering that ominous interview with the bank and be on your way to home ownership before you know it.

Did you know that Critical Illness insurance was invented by a doctor and not an insurance company?

Its finally happening! Queensland's long running Stamp Duty Concession-fest is about to be scuttled and locals will now pay full tote for stamp duty again, following the Queensland Governments Budget announcement in May. You have until the end of the month of July to purchase a property to still be eligible to receive the concession. If you fail to buy by that date then any future purchases will cost you more in duty. Click on the image to view three and a half minutes of that - along with a snapshot of what else is happening in 'mortgage-land'.

The NRAS is a Federal and State initiative designed to stimulate the rental market. What it has turned out to be is a real boom for investors, gosh! Where do I sign? It should be noted that the National Rental Assistance Scheme is not designed as a social welfare program but was seen as a necessity to supply a shortfall of rental accommodation evident in the market, primarily for the target market of essential services workers (Fire, Nurses, Teachers, Police etc) NRAS provides investors with TAX FREE incentives of up to $8,672 per dwelling per year for the first ten years. This can be taken as cash, or as Tax Credits. For the incentive, owners agree to rent the houses out at a discount of between 20 - 25% of the market rate. The rental is administered by QAHC on a 10 year lease which provides security, income is indexed every year AND independently assessed to market in years 1, 4 and 7. At the completion of the 10 year lease the property is fully reconditioned and handed back. Banks will still lend against NRAS properties to 85% as a rule of thumb, anything over 70% though is mortgage insured. For further information on the NRAS scheme call me on 5474 4100 any time.

Today the RBA announced it would not move interest rates this year month as a result of what appears to be a slower than thought recovery. I can vouch for a local economy in Noosa and surrounds that is certainly doing it tough. The news comes as a welcome relief to my clients who are on variable loans. This is the 6th month in a row that the RBA hasn't moved rates, whilst it is a reprieve for the moment they do seem hell bent on raising rates at least once more this year however, by the looks.

Flying solo, tenants, type, interest rates, sacrifices, concerns & more Australia's largest independently-owned mortgage broker has found that of the Queenslanders who will buy their first investment property in the next two years, for 13% it is their first ever property purchase. This compared to a 19% national average.

Scroll below for the following calculators. As usual..use these as guides only and seek independant advise before making any financial decisions. Call me if in need on +61 7 5474 4100.

RP Data recently reported capital city rents increased by 4.2% in 2010 and commented that they are expected to rise by 7% this year*. To put this into real terms, in Sydney it equates to an extra $33.60 on the average weekly rent of $480 for a house and $30.80 on the average weekly rent of $440 for a unit**."

Have you heard that banks are breaking up? It's great news for home loan borrowers like yourself, as lenders rush to introduce a range of incentives to encourage people to switch. But you should be cautious of moving until you fully understand the benefit vs. cost equation. It also pays to be aware of all the different offers available in the marketplace, but it's hard to keep track and research can be very time consuming.

You know when you go to the shops and you are at the checkout and the final tally comes up and you are short of cash and have to put things back? Well if my personal budget is comparable to a supermarket shopping trip like that then I had to put back half the store! Granted, my returns would have been compared to items from the "luxuries" aisle, but then you get used to those type of things don't you?

Many clients are still thinking about fixed. It may be a pretty uncertain time to consider a fixed if competition is going to come back in a big way (as I always say - it is your own decision of course and should be decided upon with your own financial needs taken into account).

Such mistakes however can be avoided by simply speaking to a number of people including a real estate agent, your broker and a Valuer either independently or collectively to determine a course of action before starting any process. We're only a phone call way and would much rather see people avoid the mistakes than experience them.

Property price growth will be subdued for the next 10 years, an industry commentator has claimed. Speaking to The Adviser, BIS Shrapnel's managing director Robert Mellor said property prices will grow by no more than 5 per cent each year.

We've all sat in a new car right? What's the first thing we notice? That's right, the smell! New leather and carpet, new trim and the fresh smell of an interior that has hardly ever been touched before. It tends to overwhelm the senses. That seems to be when the sale is made for me. Of course looks, the drive and feel, and any prior research will always have its place...but from a kinesthetic point of view then the sensory satisfaction is the kicker that cements the relationship and says to me, "this is the one!".

Some people are unaware certain aspects of their debt history, including bill defaults and applications for loans and credit cards, are on file and made available to lenders and other credit providers.

New home loan borrowers are lapping up at an increasing rate the range of ongoing discount products on offer. Every state saw a rise in demand for this loan type during April as it reached a high of 30% of Mortgage Choice's new loan approvals nationally.

The Federal Budget was considered lack-lustre by many commentators when it was delivered in early May but there are a few surprises in it that will be sure to have an effect on your home loan and your spending future.