About homeloans.com.au
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Who is homeloans.com.au?
homeloans.com.au is a wholly owned subsidiary of Resimac Group Ltd ("Resimac"), one of Australia and New Zealand's leading non-bank lenders who has been trading since 1985. You can find out more about us here, and for more information about our parent company, Resimac, visit resimac.com.au. We also provide home loan solutions for New Zealand customers through Resimac New Zealand, visit resimac.co.nz.
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Where does homeloans.com.au get its funding?
All homeloans.com.au loans are fully funded by our parent company, Resimac. Resimac was a pioneer of Australian Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS), being the first issuer in 1988. Since then it has issued more than A$30bn through 51 domestic and international RMBS issues.
We promote transparent processes and a commitment to responsible lending, in compliance with the relevant Australian laws and auditing requirements. Our Australian Credit License number is 390850.
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Where is homeloans.com.au based? Do you have branches?homeloans.com.au is Australia-based, with our head office in the Sydney CBD and the majority of our team members are located in Australia. We don't have a branch network but we're available by calling 1800 111 001 during business hours (Australian Eastern Standard Time). We offer free online redraw, or if you need to make purchases or access instant cash your Visa ® Loan Access Card is accepted anywhere the Visa® logo is displayed (including ATMs).
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Why should I choose homeloans.com.au?
homeloans.com.au provides Australians with an alternative to the banking establishment, with smart, cost effective and transparent home loan solutions.
We have an industry-leading online application enabling you to join us conveniently in your own time, from the comfort of your own home. You can start or stop your application online, save it and continue whenever and wherever you like. Plus, our amazing Australian-based team of Lending Specialists are available to support you every step of the way.
After your loan settles, if you need to contact us for any reason, our Customer Care team is here to help. Our goal is to be a trusted partner for all our customers and this philosophy is embedded within our culture.
All our loans offer great loan features including 100% Offset and the ability to make extra repayments and redraw funds.
Our loans are fully funded by our parent company (Resimac), who was Australia's first issuer of Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS).
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How does homeloans.com.au treat my personal data?
We take privacy seriously, as part of our standards of excellence and our commitment to be a trusted partner for our customers. We will only collect information if it is reasonably necessary to carry out our functions or activities.
The security of your information is very important to us. We will take reasonable steps to protect any personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, misuse or disclosure. We regularly review developments in security and encryption technologies.
If we no longer require your information, and we are legally permitted to, we will take all reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify the information.
View our privacy policy here.
Applying with homeloans.com.au
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What's the best way to apply for a loan with homeloans.com.au?If you have a clean credit history, the best way to apply is via our online application. If your finances are more complicated, contact us online here or phone 1800 111 001 to speak with one of our Lending Specialists about how we can help.
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What's the process of applying for a loan with homeloans.com.au?
Step 1: Submit - Complete an online application
Step 2: Approve - We will get in contact to put on the finishing touches to your application and if all our criteria are met, you're on your way!
Step 3: Finalise – You sign, we finalise. If it's a refinance we contact your current lender and make all the arrangements
Step 4: Settle – Congratulations, you've joined the party!
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Who will help with my loan application? Can I speak to a person if I need to?One of our friendly and experienced, Australian-based Lending Specialists will assist with your application. They are available via phone and email to cover off any questions you might have throughout the process.
General
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Why do I need a valuation?A valuation on the property you are using to secure your loan with us allows us to determine a few essential points during the assessment of your loan application. The formal report provided by an independent and accredited valuer confirms some important information about the property, including its value and its acceptance under our lending guidelines.
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What is a Loan to Value Ratio (LVR)?The Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) is the percentage of the property value that you're borrowing. For example, if your property is valued at $500,000, and you are borrowing $400,000 your LVR would be $400,000/$500,000 = 80%
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What is Lender's Mortgage Insurance (LMI) and do I have to pay it?
Lender’s Mortgage Insurance ("LMI") protects the lender if you are to default on your home loan, and the proceeds from the sale of the property are not enough to cover the outstanding balance of the loan.
In most cases LMI is only required on homeloans.com.au Low Rate Home Loans when your Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) is over 80%, however some locations and property types attract LMI when the LVR is over 70%. Your Lending Specialist advise you of the LVR requirements for your area and property type.
Note that on our Options and Flex loans, although LMI isn't required (meaning your application won't need to satisfy the criteria of a mortgage insurance provider), a risk fee is payable. Speak to your Lending Specialist for more information about risk fees.
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What is Equity?Equity is the difference between the market value of your home and the amount that you owe your lender. To calculate how much equity you have, simply deduct your loan balance from the estimated value of your home.
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What is Stamp Duty?Stamp Duty is a state government tax that you pay on your property purchase. The amount that you need to pay will vary depending on a number of factors, including where you live, the price of the home you are buying, and if you qualify as a first home buyer. Note that there are several factors that impact on the amount of stamp duty levied, including the state you live in and the purchase price.
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What is the difference between Principal and Interest ("P&I") and Interest Only ("I/O") repayments?
There are two parts to every home loan
- Principal (the amount you borrow)
- Interest (the amount you are charged by your lender for loaning you the principal)Principal and interest repayments cover both – each repayment covers the interest accrued during the repayment period as well as a portion of the principal.
Interest Only on the other hand is a repayment of only the interest accrued – you are not paying back any of the principal amount and your balance will not decrease. -
What is a Comparison Rate?A Comparison Rate allows you to compare home loan offerings by incorporating fees and charges as well as the interest rate into one rate. It's important to be aware that by law, home loan comparison rates much be calculated on a loan size of $150,000 and a loan term of 25 years, so if you are looking to borrow a different amount and over a different loan term (most commonly 30 years) the comparison rate may not give you a clear picture.
homeloans.com.au loans, features and eligibility
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What loans does homeloans.com.au offer?• Low Rate Home Loan – for borrowers with a clean credit history who can fully verify their income
• Options Home Loan – An 'Alt Doc' loan, for self-employed borrowers without a clear-cut financial position
• Flex Home Loan – for those whose credit position has been impacted by one of life's unplanned events. We'll help you get back on track.
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Do homeloans.com.au loans include an offset account, and how does it work?At homeloans.com.au we can provide a 100% offset portion linked to your home loan for no additional cost. When the interest on your loan is calculated we take into account any funds in the offset portion and we only charge you interest on the difference between the loan balance and the offset balance.
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Is my offset balance covered by the federal government deposit guarantee?The federal government's Financial Claims Scheme is designed to protect deposit accounts. The offset portion of a homeloans.com.au loan is not a separate deposit account but an advanced payment, or ‘credit portion’ on the loan, reducing the outstanding loan balance. We fund and manage all loans and offset portions through bankruptcy-remote trusts with an independent trustee. In the unlikely event of insolvency (our parent company has been successfully trading since 1985), the trustee would assume management of our loan portfolio with no risk of offset balances being forfeited.
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Can I make extra repayments and/or repay my loan early?Absolutely! On our loans you can make as many additional repayments as you like with no penalty or fees applicable. You can access these funds later if required, with free online redraw or using your Visa® Loan Access Card. You can also repay your loan in full at any time – only the standard discharge costs would apply as we don’t have any early exit fees.
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How can I access the additional repayments I've made on my loan?If you've made additional repayments and you have funds available for redraw, you can access these funds online via Loan Enquiry [link] or by using your Visa ® Loan Access Card (see below).
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Does my loan come with an access card?Yes, for no additional cost you can request a Visa® Loan Access Card which provides access to the redraw / offset balance currently available on your homeloans.com.au loan. You can access funds electronically using EFTPOS or Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). The Loan Access Card is issued by the Cuscal card platform and can be used wherever the Visa® logo is displayed.
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How do I access my account online?
Your homeloans.com.au loan account can be accessed via our online portal, Loan Enquiry.
To register for Loan Enquiry, click New User, and enter your loan number and account details. If you require assistance setting up your account, please call our Customer Care team on 1800 111 001.
By the way, we are working on a fancy new online account access platform and mobile app, due to arrive in 2021.
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Can I select/change the repayment frequency of my loan?Yes, you choose how frequently you make repayments on your loan – either weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You can select the frequency in your loan documentation pack once the loan is approved, however if you change your mind down the track please call 1800 111 001 or email customercare@homeloans.com.au and one of our Customer Care team can help you make the change.
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What fees will I be charged when I take out a loan with homeloans.com.au?At homeloans.com.au we have very few fees. You can see the fees applicable to our products on each product page, and you'll note that we don't charge monthly or annual fees on our loans. There are some other fees from external agencies that it's good to be aware of as well though. For a refinance loan there are government document lodgement costs, as well as discharge fees from your current lender, and when purchasing a home there may be government fees (like stamp duty) and Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI). On our Options and Flex loans, Risk fees also apply. Speak to one of our Lending Specialists on 1800 111 001 to discuss these in more detail.
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Am I eligible for a loan with homeloans.com.au?All applications are subject to assessment against a range of criteria, but some of the main eligibility requirements are as follows:
•You are an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident living in Australia
• Currently employed (or self-employed)
•The property is residential, established, and not greater than 25 Acres in size
•You are interested in borrowing between $100K and $2M
If the above matches your scenario we may be able to assist – please complete an online application. If your situation is complicated, please get in touch with one of our Lending Specialists to discuss the options available to you. -
Can I apply for a home loan if I'm self-employed?Yes indeed! Depending on your situation you may be eligible for our Low Rate Home Loan, or if your financial situation isn't that straight forward (for example you have previous credit issues or simply haven’t completed your most recent financials) either our Options or Flex loan may be for you. Complete an online application and we'll be in touch to discuss the home loan which suits your needs.
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What if my credit history isn't perfect?If you've historically been good at managing your finances but your credit position has been impacted by an unplanned event such as a marriage separation, loss of income or a health issue, we understand and we're here to help. Our Flex loan is designed to get you back on track. We'll help you get back on the pathway to success.
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Can I apply for a home loan in a company name or a family trust?Yes. Please speak to one of our Lending Specialists by calling 1800 111 001.
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Can I get the first home owner's grant with homeloans.com.au?Our loans are available to first home buyers, and you can use any first home owner's grant you may be eligible for towards your deposit. Your homeloans.com.au Lending Specialist will be able to provide guidance through this process. Note that grants vary between Australian States and Territories – for more information and to apply visit www.firsthome.gov.au.
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Do you offer a Line of Credit?
Yes, the homeloans.com.au Low Rate Home Loan and Options Home Loan are available as a Line of Credit, or with a portion of the loan as a Line of Credit. This will be Interest Only for a period of 10 years (5 years for owner occupied loans) and will then switch to Principal & Interest over the remaining loan term.
For more information, or to discuss if a Line of Credit is right for you please contact our Lending Specialists on 1800 111 001.
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Do you offer fixed rates?At homeloans.com.au we believe in providing the flexible home loans to our customers enabling customers to maximise the financial benefits from the loan. Fixed rate home loans generally have several restrictions preventing early repayment, additional repayments, accessing redraw and using the offset portion of your home loan. Due to their inflexibility, we do not currently provide fixed rate loans, but instead we offer a promise to keep our variable rates as low as we can for the life of the loan, along with the flexibility of being able to make unlimited additional repayments, free online redraw, an offset loan portion and an early repayment option.
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Do you offer Construction Loans?We're sorry but at homeloans.com.au we only accept established residential properties.
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How much do I need for a deposit?In most cases, when purchasing a home, you need a deposit of at least 5% of the purchase price, plus funds to cover any applicable Lender's Mortgage Insurance and Stamp Duty. If you're entitled to the first home owner's grant (FHOG) this can be put towards your deposit.
