Are you thinking of buying property in 2024? Anita Marshall shares her 10 top tips with you… Read the snippet here… Are you thinking of buying property in 2024?  Realizing the dream of homeownership or buying an investment property in today’s housing market may appear overwhelming, but rest assured, you’re not navigating this journey alone. So many Australians are keen to buy their own home or buy an investment property this year, and amidst the challenges and negative chat in the media about housing affordability, there’s a positive side that often goes untold. That is where we come ..read more

Are you ready for 2024? Leanne Bielik shares her tips for the New Year… Read the snippet here… Are you ready for 2024? New Year New You Another New Year has ticked over and most people around the world would have given some thought to their goals for the year ahead or a personal New Year’s resolution. Most New Year resolutions tend to be based around health, such as joining a gym, quitting smoking, cutting out sugar, alcohol or reducing time on social media, but it is such an exciting time to really set some goals around finances, with mindfulness included. Most of us have set financ ..read more

Jacqueline Hodges shares her 10 Resolutions to Boost Financial Independence Read the snippet here… 10 Resolutions to Boost Financial Independence 1. Get a Free Credit Report Start the year by understanding your credit standing. A credit report is essential for knowing where you stand financially. It helps in identifying any errors or fraudulent activities that could impact your credit score. You are entitled to a free credit report every year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Checking your credit report regularly can help you make informed decisions, improve your credit s ..read more

Anita Marshall shares her insights into the current trends in property finance Read the snippet here… So, what is happening with finance for property at the moment? As a residential finance mortgage broker, this question pops up quite frequently. It does not matter if people are first home buyers, property investors or homeowners everyone wants to know what is happening at ground level, which is where we sit as mortgage brokers. Clients will often come to us about property ideas before anywhere else. So, we are in a position to know if there is buyer interest out there or if the market is soft ..read more

Jacqueline Hodges shares her thoughts on what happens when you retire. Read the snippet here… Now I am Retired There is a lot to consider as you prepare for retirement. You start looking, at your home and wonder what needs repairing. You might begin to question if is this really where you want to be. You’ll look at your car, your belongings, your cost of living, your debt, your super, all to make sure you have enough saved to live your dream retirement. You begin to think about YOU really want and you start to make plans. After all, this is truly a time you want to enjoy! Investing for Your Re ..read more

Leanne Bielik shares her thoughts on the gender gap in retirement savings. Read the snippet here… The Gender Gap in Retirement Savings According to research released on International Women’s Day this year by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, women in Australia earn $1m less than men over their lifetime and retire with $136,000 less in superannuation.  These statistics are mind-blowing given that this gap has been stuck at a standstill for almost two decades and it seems that the only time that it is forefront of most people’s minds is around International Women’s Day each ..read more

What is the “Help to Buy” scheme being released by the federal government in 2023? If you want to buy your own home but your borrowing capacity isn’t quite high enough for the type of home you like, there is a new federal government scheme being released later in 2023 which might work for you! Not everyone loves the scheme and there has been mixed reactions. We have had a few clients say they are not keen on the idea as they don’t like the government owning a percentage of their home but I have to say that I personally do like it! The advantage of the scheme is that you will potentially be abl ..read more

An affordable housing option for older women This article was written by Susan Davies, Foundation President of Sharing With Friends The PROBLEM Current levels of homelessness in Australia are shattering our image of a fair and just society. Through no fault of their own older women face the daily horror of living one step away from homelessness. Women over the age of 55, renting and with limited savings are at particular risk of homelessness with numbers growing at three times the rate of older men (Ageing on the Edge, HAAG Report March 2020). Older women are now the fastest growing group of h ..read more

Becoming a parent is a life-changing experience and having a baby is one of the most exciting times in life – but it can also be one of the most expensive. If you are considering starting a family, preparing for this financially should be some­thing you consider early on to avoid any extra stress this may bring along. Having a baby is certainly not cheap and the costs you may encounter straight away are the exciting costs such as decorating a nursery and choosing the furniture and all the cute little outfits you can dress the new baby in – how sweet! The Things We Don’t Consider When Budgeting ..read more

The best advice to take control of your finances Like you, the vast majority of Australia’s population currently holding a mortgage at the moment are watching interest rates closely with a lot of interest and most are getting highly stressed about the latest interest rate rises. Mortgage Rate Stress Here’s a check handy list of the things you need to bring on your first day. Unfortunately, the RBA seem to think the only way to reduce inflation is through interest rate rises and those of us with a mortgage are starting to really feel the pinch. We have now experienced 10 interest rate rises in ..read more