From razor-sharp interest rates to $0 application fees and flexible mortgage features, learn how to find the best home loan for you.
Finding the perfect mortgage for your situation can help you save money and pay off your mortgage faster. This guide will tell you what features to look for in the best home loans and teach you how to determine your home loan needs. Or you can start comparing loans in the table below.
Home Loan Offer
loans.com.au Essentials - Variable (Owner Occupier, P&I)
variable rate
comparison rate
Home Loan Offer
With the loans.com.au Essentials Variable Home Loan enjoy a home loan with no application or ongoing fees as well as a competitive interest rate. Borrow up to 80% of the property's value. For owner occupiers and principal and interest repayments only.
- Interest rate of 3.64% p.a.
- Comparison rate of 3.66% p.a.
- Application fee of $0
- Maximum LVR: 80%
- Minimum borrowing: $50,000
- Max borrowing: $2,000,000
Compare Best Home Loan Rates*
Rates last updated April 20th, 2018.
Richard
Aussie Home Loans is both a lender and a mortgage broker, and offers a range of services.
- FREE Suburb and Property Report with every appointment.
- Access 3,000+ loans from over 20 lenders.
- Get expert help with your loan application, including paperwork and eligibility.
- Over 1000 brokers who are able to help you in your local area.
The Adviser’s number 1 placed mortgage broker 5 years running (2013-2017)
Compare home loan rates
- HSBC Home Value Loan - Resident Owner Occupier only, P&I: 3.6% p.a. comparison rate. Low rate, low deposit loan.
- NAB Choice Package Home Loan - 2 Year Fixed (Owner Occupier P&I) First Home Buyer Special: 4.86% p.a. comparison rate. Competitive variable rate with package discounts from a Big Four bank.
- loans.com.au Essentials - Variable (Owner Occupier, P&I): 3.66% p.a. comparison rate. Low interest rate mortgage with low fees from an online lender.
- Greater Bank Ultimate Home Loan - Discounted 1 Year Fixed LVR ≤90% ($150K+ Owner Occupier): 4.49% p.a. comparison rate. Discounted, low rate that's fixed for the first year.
Your guide to finding the right mortgage
How do I compare mortgages to get the best deal?
There are three things every borrower needs to look at when hunting for the perfect home loan: rates, fees and features. The best home loans usually have:
- The lowest interest rates. A lower interest rate means lower repayments. Shaving just a few points off your interest rate can unlock enormous savings over the life of a 30-year mortgage. You can easily sort loans by lowest rate in the table above.
- Limited fees. Fees are also something you need to check when comparing. A home loan that hits you with multiple fees is probably going to cost you more than you realise over time. Check a loan's comparison rate to get a better idea of the added cost of fees.
- Features you need. Home loans with added features can offer you more flexibility in how you manage your loan and make repayments. Offset accounts can help you cut down your interest repayments. Package loans let you bundle your mortgage with other financial products (like transaction accounts and credit cards) for convenience and discounts. Redraw facilities let you take out extra money you've paid into your mortgage to use in emergencies.
What's the best home loan for me?
Once you've understood the basics you need to look more closely at your own specific needs. To find the best home loan for you, consider these questions:
- What is your current financial situation? Take a hard look at your savings, income and expenses to work out how much you can afford to borrow. Be realistic, calculate your monthly repayments and factor in future rate rises to make sure you don't get stuck with repayments you can't afford.
- What is your property strategy? The best mortgage is one that matches your buying intentions. If you're a young first home buyer with limited funds you're looking at a very different mortgage product compared to a middle-aged investor buying their second or third property.
- What are your future financial needs? Your needs change over time. You might want a basic, no-frills loan now and one with more features later on as your income increases. A flexible home loan might serve you well for years into the future, provided the interest rate remains low. But you can always refinance to a better loan later. With this in mind, a loan that has high discharge or switching fees will penalise you for refinancing.
Finding the best mortgages for different borrowers
Here are several scenarios featuring different borrowers. They're all looking for the best loan, but they all need something a little different.
The cash-strapped first home buyers
Sarah and Ted are in their late 20s and currently renting. They've saved up $100,000 but because they live in Sydney this isn't a very big deposit.
The best home loan for this young couple:
- Has a low interest rate. They cannot afford massive repayments.
- Is a low deposit loan. They probably haven't saved a 20% deposit so they'll need a loan with a maximum insured LVR of 90 or 95%.
- Has a guarantor option. Alternatively, Sarah's parents may be willing to guarantee a portion of their deposit. So a loan that allows for guarantors is a great option.
The cautious investor
Margaret is currently paying off her home. She wants to buy a unit as an investment. She has $200,000 in equity and will use a line of credit loan to cover her deposit. But she'll need a loan to buy the unit. She is less concerned with fast capital growth and more concerned with long-term income from rent.
The best loan for Margaret:
- Is an investment loan. She cannot purchase an investment property with an owner-occupier loan.
- Has a competitive interest rate. Investment loans have higher interest rates, so she needs to shop around for the best deal.
- Has limited features. As her current loan has an offset account, and paying off this debt is her priority, Margaret doesn't need a full-featured loan.
The ripped-off refinancer
David is paying off a $1 million mortgage. He hadn't looked at his interest rate in a while and was shocked to learn that the rate has jumped well above 4%. His current loan is a basic, no-frills variable loan without many extra features.
David wants to refinance to a loan that:
- Has a much lower interest rate. This could save David thousands of dollars a year.
- Has low fees. David's current mortgage has a hefty discharge fee. He wants to switch to a mortgage that doesn't slug him with more costs.
- Has an offset account. David has managed to put away a bit of extra money while making repayments. He wants to put this cash into an offset to lower his interest repayments.
The above scenarios are generalised examples only.
Can a mortgage broker help me find the right mortgage product for me?
Yes, they can. While comparing for yourself is easy, finding the right home loan can take a lot of time and energy. Mortgage brokers are home loan professionals who compare loans from a wide panel of lenders. They can find you a product that matches your financial needs and property strategy and also help you with your application. A broker's services are free because they receive a commission from the lender.
Find a mortgage broker and get your home loan journey started
I have a few more questions about getting the best home loan
Compare more home loan options here
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I am 48. Never had a loan for anything as I believe you don’t get unless you have. I am entitled to the first home owners grant. Currently I’m on a sickness benefit but looking for work down the track. I’ve been looking at rentals but if I can buy my own home rather than pay someone elses off I don’t see why not to go for it. Where do I stand ?
Hi Helen,
Thanks for reaching out to us. I hope all is well with you today.
As we are a comparison website and general information service, I am unable to recommend or suggest a specific option for you, as it would entirely depend on your needs.
You may check a list of home loan options on this page.
To improve your chances of getting approved for a loan, please ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria and requirements of the loan option or lender and make sure to read the details, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statements / Terms & Conditions of the loan option before making a decision and consider whether the product or option is right for you.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Judith
can I obtain a home loan for a farm which is 42 ha which I intend to develop it has a home on it I am looking for 400;000 and I have 170,000
Hi Trent,
Thank you for contacting finder. We are a comparison website and general information service, we’re more than happy to offer general advice.
You are on the right page. You may customize, review, and compare the offers available on the table. Once you have selected one, you may proceed by clicking the green “Enquire Now” button.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Danielle
Looking at Low Doc Loan max borrowing on my property current value around 1.1 million I am self employed what can you offer Pat
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your question.
You may compare low doc home loans on this page. The maximum amount that you can borrow depends on the LVR of the home loan product you are getting.
Cheers,
Anndy
If I am eligible to borrow 450k home loan for 30 years, what would be minimum repayment per week?
Hi Jamil,
thanks for the question.
You can find out what your loan repayments would be for different loan rates using our loan repayment calculator.
I hope this helps,
Marc.
What is the “advertised rate”? And “comparison rate”? And what is the difference?
Hi Degsy, the advertised rate is a interest rate charged for a home loan, and it’s decided by your lender. It’s used to work out what your loan repayments will be.
The comparison rate is the advertised rate including some of the fees of the home loan (The application fee and any ongoing monthly fees for example), and is accurate for the example of a $150,000 loan over 25 years. By law, comparison rates must be included on all home loan advertisements, as it gives you a way to see what the actual cost of a home loan is because of the inclusion of these fees.
You can find out more about it in our comparison rate guide.
I hope this helps,
Marc.
Will I be able to borrow with my Income being from Income protection payments
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your enquiry.
Generally, income protection insurance is designed to help you cover expenses, such as mortgage repayments, in the event that you are unable to work due to injury or illness. Please note that your ability to service a mortgage using this benefit will depend on the type of cover that you have, but most policies provide up to 75% of your monthly income.
As lenders have different eligibility criteria to qualify for home loans, it would be best to contact the lender directly to see whether you can borrow using the benefit from your income payments.
Thanks,
Belinda
What is the difference beteen the interest rate and the comparison rate?
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your enquiry.
The interest rate is the percentage of your home loan that you’ll end up paying in addition to the original loan amount.
Whereas the comparison rate is a percentage amount calculated by adding together the interest rate plus any additional fees or charges associated with the loan. The figure is then converted into a percentage to reflect the true cost of the home loan.
If you compare home loans based on the comparison rate, you’ll get a more accurate idea of the true cost of the loan.
I hope this clarifies things for you.
Thanks,
Belinda
Are there any fees if you choose to pay out the Essentials home loan (on Interest only terms) earlier? If so, what are they? Thank you
Hi,
Thank you for contacting finder.com.au, we have followed up directly via email.
Regards
Jodie
what is interest rate for fixed an varible.. and what charges are there?
Hi Raelene,
thanks for the question.
The interest rates for fixed and variable rate home loans is different depending on the product. The table on this shows some of the different rates and fees for some home loans.
I hope this helps,
Marc.
Does it cost $ to ask a question of a 1300Home Loan broker through this website? I already have a home loan and want to compare rates to see if I am still getting the best deal. What if the broker decides that I am and so do not ned to change, will I have to pay them?
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your question.
It doesn’t cost anything to ask a question of a 1300 Home Loan broker through our website.
Please note that 1300 Home Loan consultants provide advice free of charge for all residential mortgages.
I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Belinda