All mortgage news and updates from March 2026
Two rate hikes, a listings surge, and an affordability ceiling squeezing buyers. Cotality's latest data shows Sydney values flat to slightly negative for the quarter.
Read Full Article →Three consecutive weeks below 70%. Volumes 78% above year-ago. Buyer depth fading. Here's what the week ending March 29 data says about Sydney's market heading into Easter.
Read Full Article →Most borrowers focus on salary when applying for a home loan. But lenders assess spending too — using a benchmark called HEM. Here's how it works and what actually changes your borrowing capacity.
Read Full Article →Rolling credit cards, personal loans, and other debts into your mortgage can slash your monthly repayments — but it's not always the right move. Here's how it works in 2026 and when it makes sense.
Read Full Article →APRA's 3% serviceability buffer reduces every Australian's borrowing power by tens of thousands. Here's what it is, why it exists, how it's calculated, and whether it should change in 2026.
Read Full Article →An interest-only loan lowers your repayments now — but you're not reducing your debt. Here's how IO loans work, who they suit, what they cost extra, and the risks in 2026's rate environment.
Read Full Article →The guarantor gives no cash — they use equity in their own home to help you avoid LMI and enter the market sooner. Here's how it works, who qualifies, and the risks both sides need to understand.
Read Full Article →LMI can add tens of thousands to your loan — but most buyers don't understand that it protects the bank, not them. Here's what it costs in 2026 and how to legally avoid it.
Read Full Article →Two rate hikes in 2026 have pushed mortgage stress back to alarming levels. Roy Morgan projects 1.3 million households at risk after March — rising to 1.4 million if May brings a third hike.
Read Full Article →Inflation at 3.6%, unemployment just ticked up to 4.3% — here's how these two signals drive RBA decisions and what they mean for your mortgage repayments and Sydney property plans.
Read Full Article →The RBA voted 5-4 to hike on 17 March 2026. Here's what the decision means for your repayments, whether to fix, and what to do now.
Read Full Article →Ray White wrote to 10,500 members. CPA Australia issued a formal warning. Both say cutting these settings in isolation will shrink rental supply and hand the market to corporate landlords.
Read Full Article →Half of Sydney properties failed to sell at auction today. Over 2,300 results recorded nationally as buyers held back ahead of the RBA's decision in 72 hours.
Read Full Article →CBA's own data shows household spending fell for the first time in 17 months. Yet CBA, NAB and Westpac all called a March hike within 24 hours. Here's what it means for borrowers.
Read Full Article →Australia has one of the highest variable-rate exposures in the world. With banks tipping a rate hike in May, here's what it means for your repayments and whether fixing makes sense.
Read Full Article →Cargo from July, passengers from October 2026. Bringelly has tripled in value. Here's which suburbs still offer growth and what buyers need to know before prices move further.
Read Full Article →Governor Bullock says "every meeting is live." All four major banks forecast a hold on the 17th, then another hike in May. Here's what it means for your repayments and what to do before Tuesday.
Read Full Article →Houses win on long-term capital growth (6.8% vs 5.9% p.a.). Apartments win on yield, affordability, and lower maintenance. Here's the budget threshold that changes the answer.
Read Full Article →Nearly 8 in 10 Australians now use a broker. We break down the real differences, how brokers are paid, the Best Interests Duty banks don't have, and when going direct actually makes sense.
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