michael sterios

Are Fixed Rate Home Loans a Good Idea?

The question of whether to get a fixed rate or a variable rate loan is always a vexing question. Should I fix or not? Should I get a fixed rate for three years or five years? Maybe 10 years? These are questions that are always asked when buying property w... Read >

Various Types of Home Loans - Part 1

The Australian property market is one of the most sophisticated in the world. Subsequently, the mortgage market is also highly sophisticated. Although there is still some level of government control over the mortgage market, the reigns were loosened a whi... Read >

First Home Owners Grant

In the year 2000 the Australian government introduced a scheme to help first time buyers get a foot on the property ladder. The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a lump sum payment awarded to Australians who qualify for the scheme when they buy their firs... Read >

A Strong and Growing Real Estate Market

Brisbane is located in the Australian state of Queensland. Brisbane is one of the largest cities in Australia - only Sydney and Melbourne are bigger - with a population of about two million people. Queensland is a fast growing state of Australia and B... Read >

The Future of the Mortgage Market – Part 1

Anybody who is anybody is aware of the credit crunch. So much has been written and spoken about one of the biggest financial disasters in history that it seems almost as though society has become engulfed in it. Governments around the world have been inve... Read >

How To Use Second Mortgages

There you are in your bed, tossing and turning, fretting about how you are going to pay your bills. You know sleep is impossible so you go downstairs and try to watch a little television to relax, but it’s no use. You've entered a purgatory of anxiety and... Read >

How Competitive is the Australian Mortgage Market?

The mortgage market in Australia has been great for the big banks. It has not been as great for consumers. The big banks have regained market share previously lost to the non bank mortgage providers that started to compete back in the mid 1990s with names... Read >

The Role of Australian Mortgage Brokers

The mortgage broking profession has boomed in Australia during the last fifteen years. From humble beginnings the industry has grown at a rate of knots over the past decade or more to a point at which there is currently over ten thousand brokers practicin... Read >

The Basics of Stamp Duty

Stamp duty is a tax that has existed for hundreds of years in countries with English law. It is essentially a tax that is levied on documents. Historically, the documents were stamped as evidence that the duty had been paid. In modern times, physical stam... Read >

So You want to be a Property Investor

Is the Great Australian Dream to buy one’s own home still realistic? Everyone, it seems, wants to own their home and an investment property. Since the Great Financial Crisis shares have become less attractive for investors, with many share investors still... Read >

Consolidating Debts and Your Mortgage

Desperate Australians are draining their super retirement savings to fend off mortgage foreclosures in record numbers despite the improvement in the economy. As the global financial crisis forces cuts in hours worked more are dipping into their super to s... Read >

To Fix or not to Fix

There is much debate going on around mortgage markets and indeed, in the homes of heavily-mortgaged families. Everyone with a mortgage needs to consider the impact of rising interest rates not only on the impact on the family finances but from the perspec... Read >

How a Mortgage Broker Works

Comparing mortgages is without a doubt one of the more challenging tasks that the average person will have to confront in their financial life. For any home buyer, be it a first home buyer or an established home owner looking to refinance their mortgage o... Read >

The Australian Property Market and the Global Recession

Australia is one of the few countries, along with Canada, who has felt the credit crunch less than the rest of the world. There may be many reason for this, such as stricter property lending rules or because there is such a large amount of space and suppl... Read >

Making the Bank Selection

If you are dealing with a mortgage broker, you need to be aware that they might not be free to select from all possible lenders. Instead, brokers have established relationships with a select panel of lenders. The mortgage broker will undertake the process... Read >