Help Guides

Helping you understand your home loan

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    Guides for Refinancers, Home Buyers and Property Investors

    There’s a lot to know about home loans. So we’ve put together some handy guides and tips to help you understand more about home loans.

    Reduce Home Loans guides are free to view and download.

    Home Loan Refinance Guide

    • Why should you refinance?
    • What are the costs of refinancing?
    • How long is the refinance process?
    • Common traps to avoid
    • What documents you may need to refinance

    First Home Buyers Guide

    • First Home Buyer basics
    • Finding the right property
    • How to get approved for a home loan
    • How to win at the auction
    • Avoiding common first home buying mistakes

    Investors Guide

    • Benefits and risks of investing in property
    • Choosing the right property
    • What to look for in an investment loan
    • Should you aim to pay down your mortgage quickly
    • What is negative gearing

    Next Home Buyers Guide

    • How do you know it’s time to buy your next property?
    • Should you use bridging loans?
    • Benefits and costs of purchasing an additional property
    • Common traps to avoid
    • Should you sell your first property before buying your next?

    Read more on hot topics

    Can home buyers still achieve the Great Australian Dream?

    They say the Great Australian Dream is to one day own your own home. Made [...]

    Why It’s So Important To Thoroughly Compare Home Loans

    You wouldn’t purchase the first property you saw without performing an inspection and checking out [...]

    Everything Involved In A Cash Back Refinance

    If you’ve been repaying your home loan for some time and your current mortgage is [...]

    7 reasons your home loan can be rejected after pre-approval (and how to prevent this)

    You may assume that once you gain pre-approval for a home loan, full approval is [...]

    Where you can still get a home loan rate under 2%

    Reduce Home Loans has announced changes to its home loan product interest rates, with the [...]

    6 ways to save for your first property faster

    Purchasing property in Australia doesn’t have to feel like an uphill battle. Whether you’re looking [...]

    How do I calculate my home loan repayments?

    Calculating your home loan repayments can help you to ensure you’re balancing your household budget [...]

    What you need to know about the settlement process

    When purchasing a home preparation is key and sometimes we need to look to the [...]

    7 home renovation mistakes that Australian homeowners make

    Australia is a nation that loves renovations, with upgrading the family home or making over [...]

    Is a 20% deposit necessary? Getting a home loan with a smaller deposit

    Struggling to save up a 20% deposit for a property? You may be pleased to [...]

    Everything home buyers need to know from the 2022-23 Budget

    Considering purchasing property or currently repaying a mortgage? You need to know how the latest [...]

    How to prepare your mortgage for an interest rate hike
    How to prepare your mortgage for an interest rate hike

    Talk of a cash rate hike from economists resulting in higher mortgage repayments may have [...]

    How to access the equity in your property

    If you’ve been repaying your home loan for some time and built up a bit [...]

    Red hot home projects to get your property ready for winter
    Red hot home projects to get your property ready for winter

    Whether you’re planning on a winter property sale or looking for renovation inspiration for the [...]

    The Benefits of Splitting your Home Loan Between Variable and Fixed
    The Benefits of Splitting your Home Loan Between Variable and Fixed

    With growing talk of interest rate hikes coming sooner rather than later, homeowners may be [...]

    Labour and material shortages hikes price of new houses: how to keep your build costs down
    Labour and material shortages hikes price of new houses: how to keep your build costs down

    The latest materials and labour shortages have had a significant impact on the average cost [...]

    Are interest only home loans better for investors
    Are interest only home loans better for investors?

    As an investor, keeping your expenses down is one of the fundamental rules of ensuring [...]

    Canstar 2022
    4 More Reasons to Switch to Reduce Home Loans

    Canstar has released its bi-annual Star Ratings report, recognising Reduce Home Loans among the top [...]

    Property values may drop 10% by 2023 - What does this mean for homeowners
    Property values may drop 10% by 2023 – What does this mean for homeowners?

    Homeowners may have noticed there has been growing discussion that housing prices may fall next [...]

    How to boost your mortgage borrowing power
    How to boost your mortgage borrowing power

    Whether you’re planning to purchase your first home or daydreaming about your next property, it [...]

    Is it better to buy or build your home in Australia
    Is it better to buy or build your home in Australia?

    The Great Australian Dream has always been to have a home to call your own. [...]

    The benefits of an offset account
    The benefits of an offset account

    If you’re on the hunt for your first home loan, or you’re considering refinancing in [...]

    Single parent with new home
    How to get a home loan as a single parent

    Purchasing property with a single income can feel challenging, but when you’re a single parent [...]

    Refresh your home in 2022
    6 Home Projects to Refresh Your Home in the New Year

    The New Year is upon us and you, like many Aussie homeowners, may have renovations [...]

    How Christmas spending could hurt your home loan application
    How Christmas spending could hurt your home loan application

    Summer is an exciting time to purchase a home in Australia, but it’s worth keeping [...]

    Home improvement trends to try for 2022
    Home improvement trends to try for 2022

    New year, new home renovations! With 2022 only a few weeks away, the time is [...]

    What to expect when buying a home around Christmas
    What to expect when buying a home around Christmas

    The holiday season is upon us and there are only a few weeks until Christmas, [...]

    Australia’s sweetest home loan deal just got sweeter
    Australia’s sweetest home loan deal just got sweeter

    Australia’s lowest variable rate now available to first home buyers   Finally, some good news [...]

    Upsize or Renovate
    Should you upsize or renovate your home?

    To upsize or renovate, that is the question a growing number of Australian homeowners are [...]

    How to get a home loan when you’re self-employed

    Taking out your first home loan can be one of the most challenging, yet exciting [...]

    How cashback deals can sweeten your new home loan

    With home loan rates at record lows, cashback deals are a type of incentive that [...]

    When should you refinance your home loan?

    Last week, markets tipped that the next Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cash rate increase [...]

    Most common property issues to look for at home inspections

      If you’re in the market for your first or next property, you know that [...]

    Property prices up 20% nationally – how you can reduce your mortgage costs

    Whether you’re a first home buyer or a current homeowner, having a large home loan [...]

    How to plan your finances before buying a home

    Whether you’re buying a one bedroom apartment or a family home, there’s more to consider [...]

    The world of Loan-to-Value Ratio and its importance

    If you are taking the plunge and purchasing your first property, understanding mortgage jargon and [...]

    What to do if you’re struggling to repay your home loan

    It’s never easy to admit when you need help, but financial stress and budget strain [...]

    How first home buyers can gain home loan approval

    For first home buyers, saving up a property deposit is arguably the most difficult process [...]

    How your LVR could nab you a better home loan

    If you’ve been paying off your mortgage for some time, you may not be aware [...]

    What happens if your mortgage pre-approval expires during lockdown?

    Lockdowns and restrictions across Australia have been challenging for everyone involved, but for would-be buyers [...]

    Create your dream home office in lockdown

    Lockdowns now feel like they’re extending into forever and the novelty of working from home [...]

    Signs it’s time for a sea or tree change

    Feeling the urge to escape from your current location and seek out a sea or [...]

    6 ways to increase your property’s value

    Whether you’re considering selling in the future or simply looking to maintain a level of [...]

    Can you save more by refinancing to an online lender?

    One of the top reasons to switch home loans or refinance is to reduce the [...]

    The good and bad of multiple home loan pre-approvals

    Is it necessary to have multiple home loan pre-approvals? Being pre-approved for a home loan [...]

    How to refinance your home loan in lockdown

    As COVID-related restrictions continue to shift across the country, many Aussies may find themselves thinking [...]

    DIY projects for your home while in lockdown

    With millions of Aussies now plunged into lockdown due to the latest COVID-19-led restrictions, many [...]

    How buyers can fast track home loan approval

     Walking through real estate listings and picturing yourself in a home is arguably the most [...]

    How your tax refund could save thousands off your mortgage

    Expecting a decent tax refund this new financial year? Hold off on cashing it in [...]

    Reduce Home Loans awarded Non-Bank Home Lender of the Year 2021

    Reduce Home Loans has been recognised as the Non-Bank Home Lender of the Year 2021 [...]

    Got any questions?

    You can simply call us on 1300 REDUCE to speak to a qualified Personal Finance Manager

    Or check out our FAQ page for more commonly asked questions.

    WHO IS REDUCE HOME LOANS?

    Multi-award winning non-bank lender. Operating online, Australia-wide.

    Want to know more? Read more about us.

    Find the Cheapest Home Loan that’s perfect for you

    No matter what stage of the home loan journey you’re at, we’re here to help you find a great rate across variable, fixed or a mix of both.

    Our home loan range also offer great features and flexibility, so you can apply with confidence.

    First home buyer - Reduce Home Loans

    First Home Buyer
    Your Next Home - Reduce Home Loans

    Your Next Home
    Investment loan - Reduce Home Loans

    Investment Loans
    Refinance home and debt - Reduce Home Loans

    Refinance & Consolidate
    Construction loans - Reduce Home Loans

    Construction Loans
    SMSF loans - Reduce Home Loans

    SMSF

    Why choose Reduce?

    Loan calculators and finance calculators

    Crunch the Numbers

    We’ve got a number of home loan and finance calculators available for you to easily crunch those hefty numbers. Give it a try!

    Calculators

    Compare our Different Loan Products

    Not sure which loan product is right for you? Simply compare each of our home loan rates and features side-by-side easily.

    Compare Fixed and Variable Owner Occupied and Investment loans

    Go and compare