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Smartmove Support

All posts by Smartmove Support

How to invest on a low income

By | Tips, Uncategorized

While you may not need a six-figure salary to invest in property, those who earn a relatively low income will require a little more creative thinking to start a portfolio. Here are some tips to help you get started. Find an investor-friendly loan The challenge for low-income earners is the time taken to save for a sufficient deposit. Some lenders require a higher deposit for an investor than is required for an owner-occupier, so seek out a lender and loan that is investor-friendly, or consider living in the property for…

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Five ways to fund a renovation

By | Tips, Uncategorized

Considering transforming your home from ‘banal’ to ‘brilliant, but lack the funds to support your makeover? Never fear, we’ve rounded up five home renovation finance options that could help turn your dream into reality. 1. Equity Release / Top Up Home Loan This is probably the most common way people borrow money when they want to renovate. It involves borrowing against the current value of your home, before any value-adding renovations and in most cases allows you to obtain the funds upfront. You won’t be able to borrow the full…

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Small business finance without the headache

By | Tips

While SMEs account for 97 percent of Australian businesses, it can still be difficult to make a case to a bank when looking for finance to start a new business or invest in the growth of an existing one. The good news is that applying for commercial finance through a bank is far from the only option. Personal loans A relatively young enterprise that doesn’t have a track record of success may not be looked upon favourably by banks, which make decisions based on risk. A lack of documented history…

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Is it time for a digital detox?

By | Tips, Uncategorized

Have you just spent hours of your festive break scrolling, scrolling, scrolling? It’s a fact that spending too much time staring at the small screen can create stress, anxiety and health issues. Isn’t it time we all aimed to disconnect more from our phones and reconnect more with life, health and happiness? We are more connected than ever, thanks to the internet and phones that let us check up on everything from anywhere. But it may surprise you to learn that a Lonergan Research study found that Australians, on average,…

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Be mortgage-free by your 50s

By | Tips, Uncategorized

Some tips and tricks to paying off your home loan sooner. Buying a home is likely the most significant financial transaction you’ll ever make. So it stands to reason that your home loan will be your largest ongoing financial obligation. Imagine what life would be like without that monthly or fortnightly strain on your income? With the extra money in your account you can afford to work less, travel more, and do the things you’ve always dreamed of. Most loan repayments are calculated on a 25 or 30-year term. And…

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Open Banking: What is it and how could it help you?

By | Latest News, Tips

A new way to quickly and securely share your banking data could help you take more control of your finances. With all the news about Covid last year and its financial impact – interest rates, loan repayment pauses, financial relief packages, government building incentives and so on – you may have missed the news that open banking has begun in Australia. Open banking promises to be a game-changer in the way we can all better manage our money. So what is open banking? Let me shed some light on what…

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When is the best time to refinance your home loan?

By | Latest News

As a homeowner with a mortgage, chances are you’ve heard of the term ‘refinancing’. Refinancing involves reviewing your current mortgage, and potentially swapping your loan to another lender who can better meet your current needs, wants, and circumstances. Refinancing can also allow you to consolidate your debts or pay down your mortgage more quickly. Another common reason borrowers look to refinance is so that they can access equity – the amount you’d get from selling your home after settling any associated loans, such as a mortgage on that property, and…

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Mortgage Global 100 revealed

By | Latest News

Darren Little and Simon Orbell have been recognised as 2020 Mortgage Global 100 by MPA Magazine. Smartmove CEO Darren Little has more than 30 years of experience in financial services. He joined Smartmove in 2014, initially as general manager before he was appointed to his current role. Prior to joining Smartmove, he worked at St George Bank as head of mortgage services, leading a team of specialists to ensure the bank is well positioned in the national broker market. Simon Orbell, meanwhile, is a director, co-founder, and senior mortgage adviser…

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Teaching your kids how to manage money.

By | Latest News

Helping your kids get a handle on money can set them up with good habits that last forever. It’s no surprise to learn that the younger you start teaching kids about money – how it works and how to manage it – the better prepared they are for the rest of their lives. So what’s the best way to teach them? In some ways, it’s getting even harder to see what money is and understand its value and role because, thanks to COVID-19 and social distancing, we’re not using cash…

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What does the recession mean for you?

By | Latest News

Australia has gone into recession for the first time in 28 years. What effect could it have on you? Australia has had a very good run when it comes to continued economic growth. Twenty-eight years without a recession is a record achievement, with the previous one in 1991. So what is a recession, and what does it mean for you? What is it? The Reserve Bank of Australia has two different definitions of what a recession is. The first is a more general one: A recession can be defined as…

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