Finance
What is a mortgage?
A simple, easy to understand explanation of what mortgages and construction loans are, and how they work.
Negative gearing, positive gearing and neutral gearing
Find out what negative gearing is, how it works, and how it can be used for deductions from your income tax.
What's the best place to get a home loan?
A rundown of the many different types of lenders you can talk to for a loan - and what to expect from each.
Variable vs. fixed interest loans
Learn the difference between variable and fixed interest loans - and get the information you need to decide which is right for you.
What is 'equity'?
A simple, easy to understand explanation of how home equity works - and what it means to you.
What is Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)?
A simple guide to Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), explaining what it is, why you might need it and how to avoid it.
Sort out your finances
Unless you're swimming in cash, finances are a very important consideration when it comes to renovating sensibly. While they aren’t usually cheap, they’re often very easy to justify in terms of the value they’re likely to add to your home.
Get finance to build
The first step to building a house is to find out how much you can afford to borrow (if you need to) - and to arrange for the necessary finance.
Tax implications for investment properties
Find out what kinds of tax issues you may need to consider for your investment property.
How to calculate projected rental yields
A guide to gross and net rental yields, how they're calculated and what they're used for.
Refinancing your house
Straightforward advice on what to expect if you're thinking of refinancing or consolidating your debt.
What happens if I miss my loan repayments?
Find out what happens if you skip a mortgage repayment - and how to stay on good terms with your lender.
Loan serviceability
Part of getting a home loan is ensuring you can afford repayments. Find out how 'serviceability' is assessed.
Learn more about
Granite benchtops
Granite's not cheap and it does have its shortcomings (including a fair bit of maintenance), but it's highly prized for its looks, longevity and extravagance as a kitchen bench material.
DC to AC inverters for solar and wind power
AC inverters are necessary to convert the direct current (DC) generated by your solar panels or wind turbine to an alternating current (AC). Read more about how they work, what sort you'll need and how they're installed.
Appliance testing and tagging
Under certain circumstances, portable appliances in homes need to be tested and tagged to ensure that they don't pose an electrical safety risk. Find out when testing and tagging must be carried out.