A Guide to Refinancing Your Home Loan
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Interest rates fluctuate from time to time – it can be quite an effort to stay on top of it all. If you have not reviewed your home loan in over a year, now would be a great time to do so and save some cash (let’s be real: the chance to set aside money that otherwise would have gone to payment of interest is too good to pass up!).
The home loans market caters to many different buyers, so by switching lenders and refinancing, you could potentially save thousands.
Not sure what refinancing is? No worries, we’ve got you. Here is an ultimate guide on how you can give your home loan a health check without a massive headache.
What is refinancing all about?
Simply put, refinancing a home loan is when you take out a new home loan to replace your old loan. You could choose to stay with your current lender and make changes to your existing loan or change to a new lender who will take over your current mortgage.
While it’s most common to refinance due to new market offerings, a slight change in one’s financial or personal circumstances can also be the more important reason to make the change, such as needing cash for a new purchase or other investment-related purposes.
It’s a reasonably straightforward process. As soon as you have considered all the options made available to you by our mortgage experts, you can decide which to proceed with.
Get a free Australian mortgage assessment today.
Why Should I Refinance My Home Loan ?
Apart from saving money, there are other reasons why you must consider looking at some refinance home loan offers.
You may have prospective projects for which you need funding, and what better way to free up some equity than to refinance? If you have paid beyond 20% of your property’s value, this may translate to a line of credit that you can use for other personal ventures.
If the value of your property has increased over time, you will have additional equity in the property. Refinancing replaces your existing mortgage with a new home loan for more than you owe on your property. The additional funds go to you, and you can spend them on other financial needs.
It may be an excellent idea for people with several personal loans to consolidate them in a home mortgage to pay them off at a lower interest rate and an extended maturity period. Home loan rates are generally lower than other types and have longer terms. There will be risks associated with consolidating debts, so you should ask us whether this is the best option.
Moving all your banking business to a single lender could allow you to access package deals or other perceived benefits.
As the financial market evolves, so do home loan offerings. When you opt to refinance, you can benefit from newly-developed features in home mortgages. Some examples are the flexibility to make extra payments, cash-back deals, access to redraw facilities, and offset accounts.
With more competitive interest rates and unique elements of your refinancing that you can work to your advantage, your overall loan costs can be brought down significantly. You can even make the same monthly payments despite the decreased rates, paying off your mortgage faster.
Sometimes, even the best loan deals in the market will crash and burn with lousy customer service. It’s not surprising for some people to switch lenders when they are unhappy with their current one in terms of management. So it is best to consider refinancing if you want lenders who will genuinely give you your money’s worth in terms of service.
Considering to refinance your home loan – how to do it?
Thsoe mulling over their next step may ask themselves, “How do I refinance my home loan in Australia?” Below is a walk-through to guide you through the process.
Check your rates
The first thing to do is verify your current interest rate against those of refinancing home loan rates and see if yours fare better. If you think you are paying too much for your existing mortgage, it is a clear signal to refinance, given that there are better alternatives.
Negotiate with the current lender
The next step is to sit down and talk to your current lender to negotiate for a more competitive rate. They will likely give you a better option if the only other choice is to refinance with them or with another lender.
Do pencil-pushing
Do some number crunching to ensure you are truly going after a better deal. Exit fees and break costs are involved, so remember to use a refinancing home loan calculator to scrutinise all your expenses.
Some institutions have offerings such as a refinance home loan cash-back when you decide to switch. These, among other things, will come into play in the calculations.
Other refinancing costs to bear in mind when considering refinancing are government fees, break costs, discharge fees, valuation fees and upfront fees on your new loan. With all the financial considerations, all the numbers must be laid out before making your final decision.
Go for it!
When you have made sure that you will be able to save a substantial amount of money should you refinance, you can start the application process and let your lender go through the necessary documents and procedures to execute it. It would be best to discharge your current mortgage and pay all the fees so your new refinancing can push through without a hilt.
Who has the best home loan?
Four major banks dominate banking in Australia: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), National Australia Bank (NAB) and Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac).
Most banks offer flexible loan features (e.g., the freedom to choose between a fixed and a variable rate on your repayments).
What is a fixed home loan? This loan can guarantee that you must pay your mortgage at a single interest rate. Despite the volatility of the market, your rate is set in stone. However, for some people, the freedom a variable rate provides is more of what they are after.
Let’s look into the offerings of the Big Four banks and examine their distinct selling points to borrowers. (Current as of August 2021)
Refinancing your home loan
CBA Bank
CommBank instantly gives you a $2,000 cash-back when you apply for a home loan switch with them. In addition, being a local Australian institution, they have a dependable, quick support system for all their clients.
They have the technology to make customer servicing seamless with a virtual banking assistant and an app for easy loan management anytime, anywhere. They also have leading experts in their workforce to service your every need whenever necessary.
CommBank also has flexible loan features such as various free offsets and redraw to help you save money in your loan repayments and manage your funds the way you want. They also have a seamless refinance system, FASTRefi®, to help out eligible clients with their refinancing.
ANZ Bank
Like CommBank, ANZ also offers the flexibility to manage your loan, whether you plan to repay it faster or redraw your available funds. Depending on your preference and needs, they can provide both the certainty of a fixed-rate loan and the flexibility of a variable loan. You can choose a split loan where you can enjoy what both loan types can offer.
You can enjoy the absence of ongoing fees and competitive rates with their Simplicity PLUS home loan. You can go on their website and use the refinance home loan calculator to check how much you can borrow and what your repayments will look like.
Get a free Australian mortgage assessment today.
NAB Bank
As a 150-year-old Australian bank, NAB has a vast array of home loan offerings tailored to borrowers’ specific and varying needs. They take pride in developing various loan packages that will address the changing needs of their clients.
They boast a 95% LVR and LMI, which they can offer to their customers to help people become eligible for a refinance despite lacking the 20% down payment for their properties.
They also have fixed and variable home loan packages, low upfront costs, split loans, lines of credit, and paying interest only, among many other features.
Though there are compelling reasons to take out a home loan or to refinance with the Big Four banks, there are also real advantages to going with other lenders – it all comes down to personal preference and needs. The right lender can help you save money in fees and interest over the life of a loan.
It requires much research, and we know we are here to help you do the legwork needed to ensure you can secure the best rate (keep in mind that the lesser-known lenders often have more to offer).
Final thoughts regarding refinancing your home loan
If you have been paying off your mortgage in Australia for several years, it may be a viable option for you to consider refinancing your home loan. The process will be easier than when you first applied for your home loan. Most of the procedures are pretty similar, except you will enjoy better rates and special mortgage features.
You will also address a need that you may have, such as debt consolidation or lower interest rates, which is why you contemplated the decision to refinance in the first place.
Are you still trying to understand? Talk to us! With so many options available, we are always here to help; it makes sense that you talk to your broker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Suppose your current home loan comes as a package with various other features, such as credit cards, term deposits, or transaction accounts. In that case, securing refinancing with another lender is still possible. Some even offer to take care of these things for you to help you in the switch.
The first step is to contact your lender of choice and talk to them about the transfer.
The security of your employment is one of the most critical factors in your loan application. To be eligible, you must typically hold your current job for at least six months before applying.
If your work situation changes in the middle of processing, you must inform your lender and check if you can work out a deal while you are in between jobs.
Get a free Australian mortgage assessment today.
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