Comparison Rate vs Interest Rate: What’s the Difference?
When comparing home loans, you’ll usually see two interest figures advertised: the interest rate and the comparison rate. While they may look…
Home loan guides
Plain-English guides to how Australian home loans work, from comparing rates and choosing between fixed and variable to fees, loan features, refinancing, investing and buying your first home. The rates we quote come from the product data lenders publish under the Consumer Data Right, so you can check any guide against today's numbers in our comparison table.
Compare rates
Fixed and variable
Costs and comparing
Loan features and repayments
What drives rates
Rate outlook
Refinancing
Investors
- Investor Home Loan Rates
- Home Loans for Property Investors
- Investment Loan Approval Checklist
- Home Loan Tips for First-Time Property Investors
- How Lenders Assess Investment Loans
- Comparing Investment Loans
- Interest-Only Home Loans
- Interest-Only Loans for Investors
- Structuring Investment Loans for Tax Efficiency
- Fixed vs Variable Rates for Property Investors
- How to Cut Your Investment Loan Costs
- 5 Mortgage Mistakes Property Investors Should Avoid
- How Rate Changes Affect Property Cash Flow and Growth
- How Lower Rates Improve Investment Property Cash Flow
- Interest Rates and Rental Yield
- High Yield vs Capital Growth
First home buyers
Brokers
Specialist loans
Calculators
All articles
How to Compare Home Loans
To compare home loans properly, start with the rates you could actually qualify for based on your deposit, loan size and purpose.…
Fixed vs Variable Home Loans: Which Suits You?
A fixed rate locks your interest rate for an agreed period, usually one to five years. Your repayments stay predictable during that…
What Affects Your Home Loan Interest Rate
Your home loan interest rate is influenced by two broad groups of factors. The first is market-wide: the Reserve Bank of Australia…
Offset Account vs Redraw Facility: Which Do You Need?
An offset account and a redraw facility can both reduce the interest you pay on your home loan. The difference is how…
How Different Lenders Assess Investment Loans: A Credit Policy Comparison
Lenders assess investment property loans using many of the same principles as owner-occupier home loans. They look at your income, existing debts,…
How to Structure Your Loans for Maximum Tax Efficiency in a High-Interest Market
The most tax-efficient way to structure property loans is to keep investment debt and personal debt completely separate, pay down your non-deductible…
Comparing Investment Loan Packages: What to Prioritise Beyond the Headline Rate
When you compare investment loans, the headline rate matters, but so do five other things that can change your returns. These are…
How Interest Rate Movements Affect Capital Growth and Cash Flow Projections
Interest rates affect property investors in two important ways: they change the cost of holding an investment property and can influence how…
How to Strategically Use Interest-Only Loans to Maximise Investment Returns
Interest-only loans can improve an investor’s returns when they free up cash to pay down non-deductible debt, build an offset buffer or…
How Offset Accounts Can Save You Thousands in Interest
An offset account can reduce the interest you pay on your home loan while keeping your savings accessible. The more money you…
High-Yield vs Capital Growth Areas: Do Home Loan Rates Influence Investment Choices?
When choosing an investment property, you generally want it to do one of two things: earn you rental income or increase in…