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Something I do every January: find $200 a month of savings in our own budget.
There is always something. An unused subscription. A premium that crept up.
The important bit is what happens next. I do not spend it - I increase the home loan repayment by that amount.
Extra repayments come off the balance, so small ones can shorten the term. Check your loan allows them.
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Got pre-approval and looking at units or townhouses? Read this first.
Body corporate levies can be counted as an ongoing commitment when the lender assesses the property. That can reduce your borrowing power and tighten your surplus.
It doesn't make strata properties a bad buy. It just means factoring the levies in early.
Tell us before you sign anything.
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
If your fixed rate ends in the next six months, this is your reminder.
When a fixed term expires, most loans automatically revert to the lender's standard variable rate - which is rarely their sharpest.
Nobody rings to tell you. It just happens. You find it in the direct debit.
The window to do something about it is before it rolls, not after.
timehomeloans.com.au or (07) 3194 0888
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
The jacarandas are starting up around Brisbane, which is either beautiful or deeply stressful depending on whether you have exams.
October is also Mental Health Month. Financial stress is one of the biggest contributors to it. It is also the one people are least likely to mention.
If money is the thing keeping you up, talking to someone about it - us, your GP, a financial counsellor, anyone - usually takes more weight off than people expect.
The 120sqm headline is only half the story. Near transport, Brisbane's minimum block size just went up to 600sqm. Swipe for what changed and what it means for your finance. Legal breakdown by our friends at @empirelegal (link in bio). General information only, not legal or financial advice.
#Brisbane #BrisbaneRealEstate #Subdivision #PropertyInvestor #FirstHomeBuyer #MortgageBroker #TimeHomeLoans
Can you pay off your car loan early? Usually. Check these first:
- Fixed-rate loans can carry break costs
- Variable loans tend to be more flexible
- Extra repayments cut the interest from that day on
- Include any balloon in the payout figure
- Weigh exit fees against the interest saved before you use your savings
Not sure what your contract says? Send it over and I'll take a look.
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Six years out from 2032 and Brisbane already looks like a different city than the one we opened this business in.
New river crossings, the arena, the transport work, suburbs that nobody could pronounce a decade ago now on everyone's shortlist.
It is easy to be cynical about the disruption. It is also worth remembering most of us live here because of the river, the weather and the fact you can still get a park.
Good weekend for it. Get outside.
Behind the scenes at Time Home Loans this week...
Most people think mortgage brokers spend all day talking about interest rates.
Reality:
• Lender accreditations
• System migrations
• CRM workflows
• Compliance updates
• Phone systems
• Staff training
• Client support
It's not glamorous.
But it's all the work that happens behind the scenes so our clients get a better experience.
Building a better business isn't usually exciting.
o
It's hundreds of small improvements made one problem at a time.
(Still trying to work out why I have a recurring calendar reminder called "Sleep".) 😅
Work in medicine, law, accounting or another specialist profession? Your job may open up options.
Some lenders have occupation-based policies that can waive lenders mortgage insurance with a smaller deposit. The eligible list differs between lenders. Approval still depends on your full situation.
Before you spend years saving a bigger deposit, ask us to check.
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
A balloon lowers your car loan repayments by pushing part of the debt to the end.
The catch:
- You usually pay more interest overall
- If the car is worth less than the balloon, you cover the gap
It can suit businesses keeping cash in the business or people who upgrade every few years. With a plan.
timehomeloans.com.au/balloon-payment-car-loan-explained
General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Something I do every January: find $200 a month of savings in our own budget. There is always something. An unused subscription. A premium that crept up. The important bit is what happens next. I do not spend it - I increase the home loan repayment by that amount. Extra repayments come off the balance, so small ones can shorten the term. Check your loan allows them. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Got pre-approval and looking at units or townhouses? Read this first. Body corporate levies can be counted as an ongoing commitment when the lender assesses the property. That can reduce your borrowing power and tighten your surplus. It doesn't make strata properties a bad buy. It just means factoring the levies in early. Tell us before you sign anything. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
If your fixed rate ends in the next six months, this is your reminder. When a fixed term expires, most loans automatically revert to the lender's standard variable rate - which is rarely their sharpest. Nobody rings to tell you. It just happens. You find it in the direct debit. The window to do something about it is before it rolls, not after. timehomeloans.com.au or (07) 3194 0888 General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
The jacarandas are starting up around Brisbane, which is either beautiful or deeply stressful depending on whether you have exams. October is also Mental Health Month. Financial stress is one of the biggest contributors to it. It is also the one people are least likely to mention. If money is the thing keeping you up, talking to someone about it - us, your GP, a financial counsellor, anyone - usually takes more weight off than people expect.
Brisbane blocks just got smaller. Unless you're near a train station. Since 18 September 2026, some Brisbane blocks can be subdivided down to 120sqm. That's the headline. Here's the part most people missed. If your block is in the low-medium density zone and any part of it sits within a 400m walk of a station, a frequent bus stop or a major centre, your minimum is now 600sqm. What that means for you: • Buying for 'subdivision potential'? Check the zoning before you sign. A valuer values what's there today. • Lost your planned split? You have about 12 months to ask Council to use the old rules. • Building on a small lot? Lender appetite varies, so compare before you commit. Our friend George Sourris at Empire Legal has written a great breakdown of the legal side: https://empirelegal.com.au/blog/brisbane-minimum-lot-size-changes-2026/ We've covered the finance side here: https://timehomeloans.com.au/brisbane-block-sizes-120sqm-home-loans/ General information only. Not legal or financial advice. Credit criteria, fees and charges apply. #Brisbane #BrisbaneProperty #Subdivision #HomeLoans #MortgageBroker #TimeHomeLoans
Can you pay off your car loan early? Usually. Check these first: - Fixed-rate loans can carry break costs - Variable loans tend to be more flexible - Extra repayments cut the interest from that day on - Include any balloon in the payout figure - Weigh exit fees against the interest saved before you use your savings Not sure what your contract says? Send it over and I'll take a look. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Six years out from 2032 and Brisbane already looks like a different city than the one we opened this business in. New river crossings, the arena, the transport work, suburbs that nobody could pronounce a decade ago now on everyone's shortlist. It is easy to be cynical about the disruption. It is also worth remembering most of us live here because of the river, the weather and the fact you can still get a park. Good weekend for it. Get outside.
Work in medicine, law, accounting or another specialist profession? Your job may open up options. Some lenders have occupation-based policies that can waive lenders mortgage insurance with a smaller deposit. The eligible list differs between lenders. Approval still depends on your full situation. Before you spend years saving a bigger deposit, ask us to check. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
A balloon lowers your car loan repayments by pushing part of the debt to the end. The catch: - You usually pay more interest overall - If the car is worth less than the balloon, you cover the gap It can suit businesses keeping cash in the business or people who upgrade every few years. With a plan. timehomeloans.com.au/balloon-payment-car-loan-explained General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Self-employed? There is a tension nobody warns you about. Your accountant's job is to minimise your taxable income. Your lender assesses you on that exact figure. Great tax outcome. Terrible borrowing outcome. Same number. What helps: two years of returns, knowing which add-backs your lender allows and alt-doc options. Get your broker and accountant talking early. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Teaming up with a partner, sibling or friend can get you into the market sooner. Before you sign, agree on: 1. How you'll own it 2. Who's liable (usually both, for all of it) 3. What each of you brings 4. Who pays what, in writing 5. The exit plan Hard conversations now. Easier life later. timehomeloans.com.au/buying-property-with-someone-else General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Business owner? Your SMSF may be able to buy the premises your business runs from. Your business then pays market rent to the fund. The property is held inside super. But this isn't DIY. Strict SMSF rules apply. SMSF loans are specialised and lender policy varies a lot. Get your accountant, financial adviser, solicitor and broker talking before you sign anything. General info only. Not financial, tax or legal advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Queensland is a good place to buy a first home right now. - First Home Owner Grant: $30,000, new home under $750,000 - New builds: full duty concession, any value (contracts from 1 May 2025) - Established homes: no duty to $700,000, partial to $800,000 - Vacant land: full concession Stack that with the First Home Guarantee and the hurdle looks very different. Eligibility conditions apply. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Found the place but your deposit is tied up? A deposit bond can stand in for the cash deposit when you sign the contract. It's a guarantee to the seller that the deposit will be paid at settlement. Handy when buying before you sell, waiting on another settlement or buying off the plan. The catches: the seller must accept it. There are fees and criteria. It has to fit your loan plan. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 384324.
Most people think investing starts with finding a property. It starts with knowing what you can borrow, how it will be structured and whose name it goes in. Get that order wrong and you can be locked into a structure that costs you for a decade. Section 3 of The Great Australian Mortgage Guide covers yield, cross-securitisation, gearing and purchase structures in plain English. Download your complimentary copy: australianmortgageguide.com.au
Offset and redraw feel identical. Money in, interest down, money back out. The difference shows up years later. Offset money is still your savings, beside the loan. Redraw money has been paid off the loan. Taking it back out is new borrowing - and what you spend it on decides whether the interest is deductible. Might this home become an investment? That matters at tax time. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Done the work. Sent the invoice. Now you wait 60 days while wages and suppliers don't wait at all. Invoice finance lets you draw funds against unpaid invoices. It's common in: - Recruitment and labour hire - Transport and logistics - Manufacturing and wholesale - Construction subbies - Professional services timehomeloans.com.au/businesses-that-use-invoice-finance General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Ever looked at a borrowing calculator and thought, surely I can borrow more than that? Lenders don't just test your actual rate. APRA expects them to check you could still repay if rates were 3 percentage points higher. You don't pay that rate. It's a stress test. Lenders still treat income, card limits, rental income and overtime differently. One lender's number isn't the final word. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
An offset account is an everyday account linked to your home loan. The balance in it is subtracted before interest is calculated. Say $500,000 loan, $20,000 offset: you pay interest on $480,000. Nothing is locked away. It is still your account. It just works while it sits there. The catch: offsets usually sit inside a package with an annual fee. Small balance? The fee can win. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
“My mate got a great deal with XYZ Bank.” Good for them. It doesn't make it the right lender for you. Two people on the same income can get very different outcomes depending on job type, self-employment, bonuses, rental income, debts, dependants and the property. There's no single best bank. There's the lender whose policy fits your situation. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Rates are higher and interest-only loans are getting a second look. They lower today's repayment but don't shrink the debt. When the interest-only period ends, the full balance is repaid over a shorter term, so repayments step up. Lenders often assess you as if you're repaying principal already. That can cut what you can borrow. timehomeloans.com.au/interest-only-loan-four-things General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Planning to buy in the next few months? Before you: - finance a car - open a new credit card - change jobs - move big sums between accounts - top up an existing loan ...check how it affects your home loan plans first. You don't need a property picked out to start. The most useful conversation often happens months before you make an offer. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Public holiday in Queensland today, so the office is closed and we are back tomorrow. Also the last day of the school holidays, which means somewhere in Brisbane a parent is doing a victory lap around the kitchen. If you have sent something through over the weekend, we will pick it up first thing Tuesday.
Your home loan shouldn't be set and forget. The loan that suited you two years ago may not suit you now. With four rate rises this year, it's worth a look. A review doesn't automatically mean refinancing. Sometimes staying put is right. Sometimes your lender may sharpen its offer. Sometimes another structure fits better. The point is to check. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Long weekend. The open homes are out in force. Before the next one: do you know the number you can borrow, or the one you hope you can? Those two are usually a suburb apart. A complimentary lending strategy session gives you a clear picture of what you can borrow, your deposit gap and what to fix before you apply. No pitch at the end of it. timehomeloans.com.au or (07) 3194 0888 General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
The First Home Guarantee helps first home buyers get in with a smaller deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance. What people miss: - The cap on places and the income limits were removed in Oct 2025 - Price caps apply: $1m in Brisbane, $700k in regional QLD - Only panel lenders offer it - The lender still assesses you Want to know if it fits your plans? Let's talk. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
That credit card you never use could be costing you borrowing power. Lenders generally assess the full limit, not the balance. A card with a $0 balance that you pay off every month can still count as a commitment. Before you close or cut anything, have your numbers checked. Some changes move the needle. Some don't. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Rates are up again. Every rise trims how much lenders will let you borrow, so protect the rest of your application. Five things that catch people out: 1. Credit card limits (the limit, not the balance) 2. Buy now, pay later accounts 3. HECS-HELP 4. Dependants 5. Other debts Most can be fixed in weeks. Before you apply, not after. timehomeloans.com.au/borrowing-capacity-beyond-income General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
The RBA handed down its decision yesterday. Here is what gets lost in the coverage. The cash rate is one input. Four things you actually control: 1. Structure - fixed, variable, split, offset 2. Repayment - anything above the minimum hits principal 3. Lender - the sharpest pricing goes to new customers 4. Credit limits - cards quietly shrink your options None need a forecast. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
**RBA UPDATE | 29 September 2026** The cash rate is now 4.60%. After two consecutive holds, the Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted the cash rate by 0.25%. It's the fourth increase this year. The decision was unanimous and takes the cash rate to its highest level in 15 years (the last time it sat this high was November 2011). Why? Inflation. The RBA says inflation has stayed elevated and some of the risks it flagged in August have now played out. Global energy prices are running higher than
Fixed or variable is a false choice. Fixed buys certainty. You know the repayment and rate moves cannot touch you. The cost is flexibility - break fees are real and offsets are usually limited. Variable moves with the market, and carries the features that pay a loan down faster. Split does both. The right mix depends on how you use your money, not on a forecast. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
The RBA hands down its decision on Tuesday afternoon. Here is the uncomfortable bit: whichever way it goes, most people have no idea what rate they are currently paying. They find out from a news headline. If your loan has not been reviewed in two years, it has probably drifted. Lenders reserve their sharpest pricing for new customers, not loyal ones. A review takes about twenty minutes and costs nothing. timehomeloans.com.au or (07) 3194 0888
A client wanted a cheaper rate. We went to her lender, noted a competitor was 0.5% cheaper, and asked the question. Two days later they cut her rate 0.35%. About $35,000 in interest over the life of the loan. Then the real work: she kept her repayments the same. Another 2 years and 1 month off the loan. A cut you spend is a discount. A cut you keep paying is a strategy. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
$500,000 loan, 30 years. Halve the monthly repayment, pay it every fortnight. 26 fortnights means 13 monthly payments a year instead of 12. On one worked example: 3 years 9 months off the loan, just under $48,000 saved. The trap - some lenders now calculate the fortnightly figure as monthly x 12 / 26. Same money, no gain. Ask which method yours uses. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
I wrote a book so people would stop making the same five expensive mistakes. The Great Australian Mortgage Guide covers buying, paying your loan off faster, investing, and who you actually need on your team. No pitch inside. Just the stuff I would tell you across a desk. It is complimentary: australianmortgageguide.com.au
Last day of Term 3. Spring holidays run from tomorrow through to 5 October, and the King's Birthday long weekend is stapled to the end of them. To the parents now doing seventeen days of logistics: respect. Brisbane Festival is on until the 26th if you need something that is not the Gold Coast. Enjoy the break. We will be here when the emails start again.
Congrats Ryan_G - you have won our $500 Bunnings Gift Card from the Home Show Draw!! We'll be in touch... I did have grand plans for this draw - but had some tech difficulties with the microphone deciding not to work - but the wheel sound effects are on point. So - a very simple draw this time. Congrats again and thanks to everyone who entered - it was great seeing you at the Home Show.
Most lenders look back three months through your transaction history. Not your intentions. Your actual statements. So a spending clean-up two weeks out does not work. The window has already opened. They read for: savings that grow, credit paid on time, no overdraws. If you are thinking about buying next winter, the three months that matter start about now. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Not all pre-approvals are equal. Plenty of them read: "subject to the lender confirming the applicants meet their lending criteria." Translation: nobody has actually looked at your payslips yet. A fully verified pre-approval means an assessor has reviewed your submission, payslips and statements. One of those holds up when you sign. The other is a printed hope. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
Spring listings are ramping up across Brisbane. The order that works: pre-approval first, then open homes. Finance falling over is one of the main reasons contracts collapse. Agents know it - given two similar offers, the pre-approved one wins. Most lenders do not charge for it, and it lasts 90 days. Book a free lending strategy session: timehomeloans.com.au or (07) 3194 0888
R U OK? Day was yesterday, and one of our values is "we pick up the phone" - so this one lands close to home. Money stress is one of the quietest loads people carry. Nobody posts about the repayment that got harder this year. If someone in your world has gone a bit quiet, ask twice. And if you are in the city this weekend, Brisbane Festival is running through to the 26th. Good excuse to get out.
Your credit card balance is zero. Your lender does not care. Lenders assess the limit, not the balance. A $10,000 card you keep "just for emergencies" is treated as a $10,000 liability. Rough rule: every $10,000 in limits cuts your capacity by around $35,000. Two cards at $15,000 each? That is roughly $105,000 off what you can borrow. Worth checking before you apply, not after. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
"Just pick the loan with the lowest rate." It is the most common mortgage advice going around. It is also the most expensive. Two loans. Both $250,000 over 30 years. Both advertised at the same rate. One carries a $350 annual fee. That fee alone is $10,440 across the life of the loan - for features you may never touch. The rate is one number on the page. The cost is the whole page. General info only, not advice. Authorised Credit Representative under Australian Credit Licence 387025.
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲. A lender has changed how much of your rental income it counts when working out what you can borrow. Old rule: $600/week rent assessed as $480. New rule: assessed as $540. Up to $570 for SMSF. That's real money added to your servicing, on a property you already own. If you were told no in the last 12 months the goalposts have moved. 📩 Send us a message and we'll re-run it. #investmentproperty #propertyinvesting #brisbaneproperty #mortgagebroker #borrowingpower #timehomeloans
🙋 We're hiring for the Brisbane Home Show! Time Home Loans needs 2–3 casual staff for our stand at BCEC, 11–13 September. You'll be greeting visitors, running our Bunnings giveaway and taking down details for follow-ups. No finance experience needed — just a good attitude and the ability to chat to anyone. Interested? Send us a message or email [email protected] or tag that special someone.
