Rates & Market
23 articles. Finfident guides on rates & market: practical home loan information for Australians.
Rates & MarketStruggling With Mortgage Repayments? Your Options and Free Help
If rising rates have made your mortgage hard to manage, act early. Here are your options, from hardship arrangements to refinancing, plus free help available.
Rates & MarketSydney Property Prices Are Falling: What Buyers and Owners Should Know
Sydney home values are down 7% over the year to September 2026. What's driving the fall and what it means for first home buyers, upgraders and owners.
Rates & MarketWhen Rates Rise, When Do Your Repayments Actually Change?
Your lender passes on an RBA rise within days, but your repayment may not change for weeks. Here's how notice periods work and how to get ahead of the increase.
Rates & MarketHow the RBA Cash Rate Affects Your Home Loan Rate
What is the cash rate, why does the RBA change it, and how does it flow through to your mortgage? A plain-English guide for Australian borrowers.
Rates & MarketSplit Home Loans Explained: Part Fixed, Part Variable
A split loan lets you fix part of your mortgage and keep part variable. Here's how splits work, how to choose the ratio, and when a split makes sense.
Rates & MarketHow to Build a Mortgage Buffer (and Why It Matters More in 2026)
A mortgage buffer protects you from rate rises, job changes and surprise bills. How much to aim for, where to keep it, and how to build one on a tight budget.
Rates & MarketNegative Gearing and CGT Changes From 2027: What Investors Need to Know
From 1 July 2027 negative gearing is limited to new builds and the CGT discount is replaced. Who's affected, what's grandfathered and what to do now.
Rates & MarketFixed or Variable in 2026? How to Choose When Rates Are Rising
Should you fix your home loan rate in 2026? Compare fixed, variable and split loans in a rising rate environment, with the pros, cons and questions to ask.
Rates & MarketAustralian Property Market Update: Spring 2026
Values have fallen for six straight months. The latest Cotality data for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and the regions, and what it means for you.
Rates & MarketRBA Lifts Rates to 4.60%: What the September 2026 Rise Means for You
The RBA raised the cash rate to 4.60% on 29 September 2026, its fourth rise this year. Here's what it means for your repayments and what to do now.
Rates & MarketHow Inflation Affects Interest Rates and Your Home Loan
Why does inflation push mortgage rates up? A plain-English explanation of how CPI, the RBA and your home loan are connected, with what to watch in 2026.
Rates & MarketWhy Regional Property Is Outperforming the Capitals in 2026
Regional home values rose 5.6% over the year to September 2026 while capitals fell. Why the regions are holding up and what lenders look for outside the cities.
Rates & MarketSydney and Melbourne Property Listings Tighten as Sellers Hold Back
Sellers in Sydney and Melbourne are pulling properties from the market rather than accepting lower prices, creating a supply squeeze that contrasts…
Rates & MarketDarwin Property Market 2026: Australia's Strongest Performer
Darwin has become Australia's standout property market, recording house price growth of around 16 per cent and unit price growth of around 13 per cent…
Rates & MarketRBA Raises the Cash Rate to 4.35%: May 2026 Decision
For its May meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has raised the official cash rate by 0.25 per cent to 4.35 per cent, marking the third…
Rates & MarketBrisbane Luxury Property Market 2026: Why It's a Global Hotspot
Brisbane is quickly establishing itself as one of the world's most dynamic luxury property markets, driven by Olympic infrastructure investment, severe…
Rates & MarketRental Market 2026: Record-Low Vacancies Meet an Affordability Ceiling
Renters have reached their financial limit, with record-low vacancy rates failing to drive rent increases across the capital cities, according to new…
Rates & MarketRBA Lifts the Cash Rate to 4.10% in a Split Vote: March 2026 Decision
For its second meeting of the year, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has once again raised the official cash rate by 0.25 percentage points…
Rates & MarketGold Coast Rents Now Higher Than Sydney: Rental Market Update
Australia's rental market has shifted from acceleration to consolidation, with lifestyle destinations now commanding higher prices than traditional…
Rates & MarketRightsizers Fuel Australia's Prestige Apartment Boom
Australians are increasingly moving from traditional family homes into luxury apartments, driving a boom in the prestige apartment market.
Rates & MarketRBA Raises the Cash Rate to 3.85%: February 2026 Decision
At its first meeting of the year, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) was unanimous in lifting the official cash rate by 0.25 percentage points, taking…
Rates & MarketAustralia's Home Ownership Growth Falls Behind Other Developed Nations
Australia is struggling to keep pace with other developed nations in home ownership growth.
Rates & MarketAustralian Home Prices Early 2026: Values Rise but Growth Slows
Australia’s housing market opened 2026 on a positive note, with the latest Cotality Home Value Index showing a 0.4% rise in national dwelling values in…
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