Insights.

Plain-English guides to buying, borrowing and refinancing in Sydney, written by Charles Touma, mortgage broker.

How Much Deposit Do You Really Need to Buy Your First Home in Sydney?

The 20% rule scares off buyers who could purchase years earlier. Here is what each deposit size actually means in Sydney. 5%, 10% and…

No income caps, no place limits, and a $1.5m Sydney price cap, how the Australian Government’s 5% deposit scheme works now, and who it…

Up to $800,000, eligible NSW first home buyers pay nothing. Here is how the exemption and the sliding concession to $1 million really work.

Lenders save their sharpest rates for new customers. How to tell whether your loan has drifted, what switching really costs, and when staying put…

Lenders can differ by six figures on the same application. What actually drives your borrowing power, and how to find your real number.

What pre-approval actually is, how long it takes and lasts, and why serious Sydney buyers get it before they inspect anything.

How family equity can replace a cash deposit, what guarantors actually risk, and when the guarantee is released.

Strata, size limits and lending quirks, what apartment buyers should know before making an offer in Sydney.

A new job does not have to mean waiting a year to buy. How lenders treat probation, and which ones are flexible.

Casual income counts, with the right lender. How long you need in the job, and how casual earnings are assessed.