Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Contents How refinancing works... 3 Steps to refinancing... 4 Choose the home loan that s right for you... 4 Give your loan a regular 'health check'... 9 Aussie is a trade mark of AHL Investments Pty Ltd. Aussie is a partly-owned subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 234945. 2015 AHL Investments Pty Ltd ABN 27 105 265 861 Australian Credit Licence 246786. Aussie does not provide any financial or investment advice. This document has been prepared as a factual guide only. It does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Aussie recommends that you seek independent financial advice and obtain your own professional legal and taxation advice before making an investment decision. Page 2 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

How refinancing works Reasons to consider refinancing When you first took out your home loan there s a good chance you spent time researching a number of loans to check that you secured the mortgage that best suited your needs at a competitive rate. That s a sensible approach. However it also makes good financial sense to review your home loan from time to time (ideally at least annually) to check that it is still continuing to meet your needs with the features you need or want, at a competitive interest rate. Today s mortgage market is very competitive. New types of loan features and packages are becoming available; loan interest rates vary widely too and your current loan may not be keeping pace. In our ever-changing lives, you may find that your loan no longer offers the features and flexibility that you need. Or, perhaps you have built up some equity in your home that you would like to tap into to fund home renovations or an investment property. All these circumstances make it worth thinking about refinancing. This guide is designed to provide information to help you understand what is involved in refinancing your home loan and decide whether it is the right step for you. If you re unsure, it can help to speak with someone you trust, like friends, family members or an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker. Refinancing can help you achieve important goals Switching to a new loan or lender can be an important step in helping you achieve financial goals. Let s take a look at some of the most common reasons for refinancing a home loan. Save money with a lower rate Whilst refinancing has the potential to put money back in your pocket, the loan interest rate should never be the only factor to consider when choosing a home loan. With a wide range of lenders and loans to choose from, chances are you may be able to secure a more competitively priced loan with a different lender. Or, you may be paying for features you don t need or use on your current loan. If you think you re paying too much, contact an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker, who can compare hundreds of loans to see if you could save money by refinancing. Access more or improved, loan features If your circumstances have changed, or if you ve had your home loan for a few years, refinancing can offer you the chance to take advantage of more flexible features. An expert Aussie Mortgage Broker can advise on the features best suited to your needs, but some money saving features to look for are: Flexible repayments the option to pay a little extra off your loan when you have some spare cash helps you cut time and money from your loan Redraw lets you withdraw any extra repayments if you need the cash. Look for a loan offering free redraws that can be arranged over the phone or online Flexible rate options switching your loan between a variable rate and fixed rate, or splitting your loan between the two helps you manage your mortgage in line with interest rate movements Portability the ability to take your loan with you when you move can make life a lot easier, and save on fees, further down the track Streamline debt management Debt consolidation is the process of folding high interest debts like a credit card and personal loan into one low rate loan usually your mortgage. It means you have just one set of paperwork to manage, one loan to pay and it may also offer big savings. The interest rate on a home loan is usually far lower than the rate on other types of credit. This lets you save on interest charges and helps you pay off the debt sooner. However debt consolidation can turn a short term debt like a personal loan, into a long term one (your mortgage). Unless you aim to pay off the new, bigger home loan as fast as possible, consolidating your debts could mean paying more interest in the long term. Making extra repayments is a great way to get ahead with your home loan and make the most of debt consolidation. Use Aussie s Budget Planner Tool to work out where you can trim spending to free up cash for additional loan payments. An expert Aussie Mortgage Broker can give you a clear idea of how much you could save by consolidating your debts along with some useful tips on how to pay off the overall balance sooner. An opportunity to invest using home equity Home equity is the difference between your home s value and the balance of your mortgage. So, if your home is worth $600,000 and you have $200,000 remaining on your home loan, your home equity is $400,000. That s money that could be used to build your wealth. Page 3 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Refinancing your home loan can be a great way to access home equity to invest in other areas such as investment property, shares, or managed funds. Using borrowed money to invest is known as gearing. It s a strategy that can provide benefits but it also carries risks these are summarised in our table below. It is important to speak with your financial advisor or accountant to determine if gearing is the best option for you. A chance to achieve personal goals Your home equity doesn t have to be used for investing. It can also be used for a wide range of purposes like paying for the kids education or funding home improvements e.g. building a pool, or even going on a holiday. Talk to an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker to see how refinancing could help you achieve your goals. Borrowing to invest Pros Borrowing to invest gives you greater buying power, allowing you to buy a better quality property or invest when you are ready rather than waiting until you have accumulated sufficient funds Magnifies your investment returns if the investment rises in value The interest charged on money borrowed to purchase investments is usually tax deductible Cons Even if the investment falls in value you will still have to pay off the loan Magnifies your losses if the investment falls in value The investment returns should be higher than the loan interest rate for this strategy to provide long term benefits Your investment may provide additional income You need to be able to meet loan repayments even if the investment fails to generate regular returns Steps to refinancing Use Aussie s Borrowing Calculator to see how much you may be able to borrow. Know your borrowing capacity An important step in refinancing is determining how much you can afford to borrow this is referred to as your borrowing capacity. When you apply for a new loan, the lender will want to know about your income, your financial commitments including your existing home loan, and how well you have managed these commitments in the past. These will all determine how much you can afford to borrow. Your income Your income is a key factor lenders will look at when deciding the amount you can afford to borrow even when you re refinancing. Your income should comfortably cover your regular living costs as well as the repayments on your loan. Your financial commitments As well as your income, lenders will look at your current financial commitments to calculate what you can afford to pay. They ll take into account things like credit cards and personal loans. Don t over-stretch yourself. You still need to be able to enjoy life plus have funds to meet unexpected expenses along the way. Play it safe When deciding how much you can borrow, most lenders like to see that you would still be able to keep up the loan repayments even if interest rates were to rise. It s worth taking the same approach to be sure you could comfortably repay the loan if rates move higher at some point in the future. Choose the home loan that s right for you To help you understand which type of home loan may be best suited to your needs, let s take a look at the key types of home loans available and how they work. There are hundreds of different loans to choose from but essentially they are all based on two main factors: Principal The amount of money you borrow Interest How much you pay to borrow the money. It s calculated on the outstanding principal From here, there is a wide variety of loan features and structures available so it s worth knowing what s involved with each to make an informed decision. Page 4 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Variable rate loans This is the most popular type of loan in Australia. The interest rate you pay will generally vary in line with movements in market interest rates, so you can expect the repayments to vary (up and down) over the course of the loan as rates change. Fixed loans With this type of loan the interest rate and loan repayments, are fixed for a set period, usually between one to five years. This makes it easier to budget for repayments and you are protected from increases in market interest rates. The downside is that if rates fall, you could end up paying more than necessary. Split loans Many lenders will let you fix one part of your loan, while the remaining portion has a variable rate. This can give you the best of both worlds some protection from rising rates though still with the ability to benefit from any rate cuts. Decision: fixed, variable or split loan? To help you decide which loan would be right for you, we ve outlined the pros and cons of fixed, variable and split loan types in the table below. Other types of loans Within the categories of variable, fixed and split loans, there are other types of home loans to choose from. Basic versus standard Basic home loans are variable rate loans that often come with a cheaper rate though less features than a standard loan. The definition of basic varies widely between lenders so it s worth checking carefully which features are available with any loan the lender describes as basic. The important thing is to only pay for loan features you are likely to use now or in the near future. Note too, some features can help you pay off the loan sooner, and this will mean saving money over time so the cheapest loan isn t necessarily the one that s best for you. Fixed Rate Variable Split The interest rate is fixed for the term you choose usually from 1-5 years. The fixed rate may be higher or lower than the prevailing variable rate at the time of fixing. The rate you pay will also vary depending on the fixed term you select Your repayments will stay the same for the fixed period of the loan Fixed repayments make it easier to budget though you may have fewer opportunities to pay more off your loan If you want to switch back to a variable rate or refinance to a new loan during the fixed term, you could be asked to pay break charges Some but not all, fixed rate loans allow extra repayments up to a set amount each year, and some also offer redraw The interest rate generally varies in line with the official cash rate plus other factors, and it may be higher or lower than fixed rates Your repayments may fluctuate with interest rate changes, this could be up or down so you need to be sure your finances could cope with a higher rate You could pay off your loan faster by making extra repayments Exit fees have been banned on loans taken out after 1 July 2011 You can usually make extra payments whenever you like, typically at no extra charge On one part of your loan the interest rate will be fixed and the interest rate on the other may fluctuate with the market Only the variable rate portion of your loan will be impacted by any rate rises or falls. The repayments on the fixed rate portion of your loan will remain the same for the fixed term Allows you to have interest rate security with repayment flexibility Most lenders will let you set the fixed/variable portions in the way that suits you You can access variable loan features like redraws and extra payments but have a little more certainty around your long-term budget Page 5 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Offset An offset home loan involves a savings or transaction account that is linked to your home loan. Instead of receiving interest on the balance of the offset account and paying separate interest on the full balance of the outstanding loan, the balance of the offset account is deducted from (or offset against) the value of the loan. For instance if you have $20,000 in the offset account and the value of the loan is $400,000, you will only pay interest on a loan value of $380,000. This can make an offset account a handy money saver if you have some spare cash. Package loan A package loan combines a home loan with other financial products usually a transaction account and/or credit card. You can expect fee waivers on some or all of the bundled products plus a discount on the home loan interest rate that usually lasts for the life of the loan. On the downside, you may be asked to pay an annual package fee, which is usually around $300 to $500. This makes it important to weigh up whether the fee savings and rate discount are worth more than the annual package fee. Line of credit This type of loan allows you to draw from a fixed amount at any time, to pay for whatever you want which could be shares, renovations, or even a holiday. It s like having a credit card with a big limit, but your home still acts as security for the loan. You only pay interest on the funds you use, but you need strong financial discipline to ensure you pay off the principal as well as the interest. Low-doc loans These are loans designed for self-employed people who don t have all the financial documents providing proof of income normally required to secure a loan. A low-doc loan can be either fixed or variable though the rate is generally higher than for a standard variable or fixed loan, but it may be reduced after a few years if your repayments are on time. In previous years low doc loans were offered by a large number of lenders but these days many lenders treat self-employed borrowers in much the same way as traditional borrowers, often offering access to the same loans as long as good records (like tax returns) can be provided for personal income. Navigating a path through the mortgage maze can seem confusing especially with so much choice available. So it s good to know that an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker can streamline the process for you. We listen to your needs, then using unique software, we compare hundreds of loans to find the deal that s right for you. Weighing up the pros and cons Refinancing may save you money but there are costs involved, and it s sensible to weigh up all the pros and cons, especially the costs versus the benefits, to ensure refinancing really is the right move for you. Some of the key costs you could face include: Borrowing costs When you refinance, your new lender may charge a range of upfront fees the most common fees are listed below. Not all lenders charge all of these fees, and some may be negotiable. Loan application fee this is usually charged when your loan settles Valuation fee the lender may impose a fee to have your property professionally valued Settlement fee your lender may charge a fee for the payout of your current mortgage Lender s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) If your new loan is for 80% or more of your home s value, it s likely you ll be asked to pay LMI a type of insurance that protects the lender if you can t meet your home loan repayments. LMI involves a one-off premium, which you may be able to capitalise (add it to your loan balance) however this means paying interest on the premium, which adds to the cost. Exit Fees Your current lender may charge exit fees sometimes called early repayment fees or deferred establishment fees. Exit fees vary widely though they usually only apply if you have had your current loan for less than five years. As exit fees have been banned on home loans taken out after 1 July 2011 they won t apply to your new loan. But you could still be charged an exit fee on your current loan. Break costs If you currently have a fixed rate loan check if you could be up for breaks costs. A quick call to the lender will tell you if break costs apply and what you re likely to be charged. Mortgage registration fees When you switch from one home loan to another you may be asked to pay mortgage registration fees that let the State Titles Office know you ve changed either your lender or the type of loan. These fees will vary according to your State or Territory. Aussie s Stamp Duty Calculator will show the mortgage transfer fees that apply for your area. Page 6 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Key aspects to consider To help you make an informed decision about refinancing, we ve listed some of the key aspects that are worth discussing with your lender or broker before you agree to take up the new loan. Use the Comparison Rate to evaluate different loans Along with the headline interest rate charged on a loan, you may also be charged a range of upfront and ongoing fees. These fees can make it harder to compare between loans, and this is where the comparison rate is so helpful. It includes the ongoing interest rate as well as any application fees and regular loan fees. This gives you a clear idea of the true cost of a loan and lets you make a more accurate evaluation between lenders. Be sure you understand any other fees that may apply The comparison rate does not include all fees. Other fees you could be up for include: Government and statutory fees although these are standard across all lenders and loans Lender s Mortgage Insurance or valuation charges Event based charges, like redraw fees Even where you may have no immediate plans to use a feature that comes with a fee for example, redraw, it s still important to know any fees attached to the loan. You may use these features in the future. Look for additional benefits offered by the loan Some home loans offer additional options like a repayment holiday, which can be useful if you re planning a career break after the arrival of a new baby. Or you may be able to make interest only repayments for a set period, freeing up cash to use elsewhere. Getting the paperwork together If you decide refinancing is right for you, having your paperwork ready before you begin speaking with lenders can speed up loan approval. A lender may want to see: Proof of your income Statements for the last six months of any existing home loans or personal loans Most recent rates notice and building insurance policy on the property offered as security Your most recent strata notice (if applicable) Page 7 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Protecting your property Along with securing a new home loan, refinancing is an ideal opportunity to review your insurance needs. The good news is that it is easy to manage risk by making sure you have the right insurance in place. Let s look at two main types of cover worth reviewing when you refinance your home loan. Mortgage Protection Plan^ Refinancing can sometimes mean taking on a larger mortgage. You owe it to yourself and your family to decide the best way to protect your mortgage and lifestyle should the unexpected happen. Mortgage Production Plan is an insurance product that provides peace of mind if the unthinkable should happen. Importantly, it includes cover for you and your home loan, taking care of some or all your mortgage payments if you become too ill to work, or if you pass away. Aussie offers the Aussie Mortgage Protection Plan that provides cover for: Critical illness including 11 serious specified medical conditions Loss of life and terminal illness Involuntary unemployment in the first 12 months of cover To find out more about how to protect your lifestyle with the Aussie Mortgage Protection Plan visit aussie.com.au/mortgageprotection and talk to an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker. Home and Contents Insurance ~ Your lender will usually require you to take out building insurance as a condition of your home loan. So the refinancing process provides an ideal time to review your existing home and contents cover to check if you have the right level of cover for your needs, and also to see if you could get better value with a different insurer. Aussie offers competitively priced home and contents insurance featuring: Protection against fire, theft, storm, flood and more Cover for your contents while moving address Flexible level of cover and excesses to suit your needs A saving of 25% # off when you purchase a combined home and contents policy online You can even choose to pay premiums fortnightly, monthly or annually. To find out more or apply online visit aussie.com.au/homeandcontents and talk to an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker. ^Aussie Mortgage Protection Plan is issued by MetLife Insurance Ltd ABN 75 004 274 882 AFSL 238096 (MetLife) (Death, Terminal Illness & Living Benefit) and ACE Insurance Ltd ABN 23 001 642 020 AFSL 239687 (ACE) (Involuntary Unemployment Benefit). It is distributed by Australian Life Insurance Distribution Pty Ltd ABN 31 103 157 811 AFSL 226403 (ALI) and is marketed by AHL Investments Pty Ltd ABN 27 105 265 861 (Aussie) as an Authorised Representative AR 338358 of ALI. The Financial Services Guide provides more information about our services. ALI may be paid a portion of the premium as commission from Metlife or ACE for each policy purchased. Aussie may receive a portion of the commission from ALI and may pass a proportion of this commission to your Aussie Broker. Your Aussie Broker may also become entitled to other non-monetary incentive rewards. Any advice in this material has been given without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation and needs. Please consider these matters and the information within the Product Disclosure Statement before deciding on this product. ~ Aussie Home and Contents Select Insurance is issued by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited (AGIC) ABN 42 111 586 353 AFS Licence No 285571. It is distributed by Auto & General Services (AGS) ABN 61 003 617 909 AFSL 241411 and is marketed by AHL Investments Pty Ltd (Aussie) ABN 27 105 265 861 as an Authorised Representative AR 338358 of AGS. Aussie will receive a commission from AGS for each policy purchased. Any advice in this material has been given without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation and needs. Please consider these matters and the information within the Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement before deciding on this product. # Online discount offer only applies to the premium paid for a new Home & Contents insurance policy initiated on or after 1st June 2014 and purchased online. We reserve the right to shorten or extend the period the discount is offered and vary the amount of the discount. Base rate premiums subject to change. It does not apply to any renewal offer of insurance. The discount offer applies only to the premium for an insurance product. It does not apply to the fees that we may charge you. (These are described in our Financial Services Guide, which is available at aussie.com.au/insurance). Aussie is a partly-owned subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945. The Aussie name and logos are trademarks of Aussie. Page 8 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Key steps to refinancing with Aussie The process of refinancing can be quite straightforward especially if you enlist the help of an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker. There are five key steps to refinance your home loan: 1 2 3 4 5 Your expert Aussie Mortgage Broker will listen to your needs to help you find a loan that s right for your circumstances, and even provide assistance completing your loan application Once your new loan is approved, you or your solicitor can inform your current lender that you would like to discharge or pay out, your current loan When your current lender knows the exact date of settlement, you ll be given a final payout figure Your new lender pays off the outstanding loan, and the title deeds to your property will be transferred to your new lender Upon settlement, your new lender will lodge a document called a Discharge of Mortgage with the Land Titles Office in your State or Territory. After this, you begin making repayments on the new loan, with the freedom to enjoy all the flexibility and features it offers Give your loan a regular 'health check' While there are no hard and fast rules about the right time to refinance your loan, it makes good financial sense to review your home loan at least once a year or when your circumstances have changed, for example, if you plan to upgrade your home or you re starting a family. Certainly, in today s rapidly changing mortgage market, if you ve held your current loan for a few years, it s worth talking to an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker to check that your mortgage still meets your needs. Whatever your circumstances, a free appointment with an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker will let you know if you could benefit from refinancing. It will cost you nothing but it could save you thousands through improved loan features or a reduced interest rate. Useful calculators The Aussie website has several useful calculators to help you decide whether refinancing is right for you. You may find it useful to take a look through our calculators before speaking with an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker. Borrowing Calculator shows how much you may be able to borrow based on your salary and living costs Loan Repayment Calculator shows the monthly principal and interest repayments and total interest cost for the home loan size of your choice Stamp Duty Calculator find out the mortgage duty and/or transfer fees that apply for your area Budget Planner Tool a great tool to manage your money and work out where you can trim spending to free up cash for additional loan payments Remember, an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker is available to help at every stage of the refinancing process, and we ll stay in touch to ensure your new loan lives up to your expectations. Page 9 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide

Why Aussie? Our lives don t stand still and neither should your home loan. The loan that was right for you when you first purchased your property may no longer offer the best value or be best suited to your needs. Choose from up to 20 lenders...* That s where Aussie can help. We will discuss your circumstances with you to see whether a new loan could help you achieve personal goals anything from saving money on repayments to accessing home equity or streamlining your personal debt. Meet with an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker An expert Aussie Mortgage Broker will compare hundreds of loans from a panel of lenders including the big banks, to find the deal that s right for you. Here's how an expert Aussie Mortgage Broker can help you: Aussie Mortgage Brokers can help you negotiate a better home loan deal with your existing lender, which means you don t have to switch Aussie Mortgage Brokers may be able to get better interest rates for you due to the volume of business they generate with banks and other lenders Aussie Mortgage Brokers can save you time and effort by helping you research, organise and apply for your home loan Aussie s Mortgage Broking service is at no cost to you Aussie has an extensive network of mobile Brokers that can come to you, anywhere and any time that s convenient for you There is no charge for an appointment, we get paid a commission by the lender so you re not out of pocket Or, choose an Aussie loan Aussie has a great range of loans. It lets you take advantage of: A wide choice of variable and fixed rate options No ongoing management fees A choice of fortnightly or monthly repayments Free additional repayments Unlimited free online redraw on variable rate loans Online account management Award Winning Mortgage Broker Talk to Aussie today. Call 1300 44 55 66 or click here to request your free appointment it could save you thousands. *Not all lenders lend in every state or territory. Page 10 Aussie Home Loan Refinancing Guide