Home loan guides, in plain English
Long-form explainers on how Australian home loans really work. No product is being sold on these pages. Every guide is general information, dated, and backed by cited sources such as the ABS, APRA and ASIC Moneysmart.
Last updated 1 July 2026 · 17 guides and growing
Loan types
What is a bridging loan and how does it work?
Peak debt, end debt, open versus closed bridging, the 12 month clock the banks set, and what actually happens if your old home does not sell in time.
Loan typesWhat is an interest only loan, and what happens when it ends
Repayments cover the interest while the balance stays put, usually for one to five years, then the loan reverts to principal and interest over a shorter term. The payment jump is the part to plan for.
Loan typesPrime home loans explained
What lenders mean by a prime borrower, how serviceability buffers work, and why a strong file can unlock sharper rates and cashback offers.
Loan typesLow doc loans, explained for the self-employed
How alternative income verification works when you run your own business, what documents lenders accept, and the trade-offs to weigh up.
Loan typesPrivate mortgages and non-bank lending
When short-term private funding is used, how bridging and caveat loans differ from a bank mortgage, and the costs that come with speed.
Loan typesCommercial property loans explained
How finance for shops, offices and warehouses is assessed: lower LVRs, interest cover ratios, lease doc and full doc options, GST, and the costs to weigh up.
Getting approved
Bank valuation vs market value: why the bank's number is lower
Why the valuer's figure sits under the agent's appraisal, the desktop, kerbside and full inspection levels, what a short valuation does to your LVR, and the challenges that actually work.
Getting approvedWhat is a comparison rate, and when can you trust it?
The single figure under every home loan ad, the $150,000 example the law forces it to use, and a worked case where the cheaper loan shows the higher rate.
Getting approvedWhat is a guarantor home loan, and what does the guarantor risk?
How a parent's home stands behind a low deposit loan, why a limited guarantee is the only kind to sign, what the guarantor risks, and when the guarantee is released.
Getting approvedHome loans after credit problems
How defaults and repayment history are recorded, how long they stay on file, and the realistic path back to a mainstream loan.
Managing your loan
Cost to refinance home loan: every fee and the break-even point
Discharge and application fees, state registration costs, break costs on a fixed rate, when LMI comes back, what a cashback is worth, and the month a switch pays for itself.
Managing your loanHow does home equity work in Australia
Value minus debt, the 80 per cent usable equity rule with worked examples, top ups and split loans, the second property sums, and why crossed loans cause trouble later.
Managing your loanHow to discharge a mortgage in Australia
What a discharge of mortgage actually is, the form that starts it, typical fees and bank timeframes, PEXA settlement, and why a paid out loan does not clear your title by itself.
Investing
What is rentvesting? Renting where you live, owning where the numbers work
Renting the suburb you want while a tenant helps pay off a property somewhere cheaper: the cash flow spread, the 2026 tax changes, and the concessions you give up.
InvestingSMSF home loans and the LRBA structure
Buying property inside a self-managed super fund, what a limited recourse borrowing arrangement is, and the rules the ATO enforces.
How the industry works
How to become a mortgage broker in Australia
The honest path into broking: the Cert IV, an aggregator, credit representative status, two mentored years, and what the money really looks like before your book exists.
How the industry worksWhere mortgage broker leads come from, and what it means for you
Why a broker rings within minutes of an online enquiry, what a bought lead costs them, why none of it lands on your loan, and the rules that protect you.
Stuck on a word?
Our mortgage glossary defines the terms lenders use, from offset accounts to LMI and comparison rates, one plain sentence at a time.
Popular places to dive in
New here? These are the guides readers open first, plus the glossary for any word that trips you up.
Prime home loans explained
What a strong borrower profile unlocks, and why the serviceability buffer sets your limit.
Getting approvedHome loans after credit problems
How defaults and repayment history are recorded, and a realistic path back to a mainstream loan.
Loan typesCommercial property loans explained
How finance for shops, offices and warehouses is assessed, from lower LVRs to interest cover ratios.
ReferenceMortgage glossary
Every home loan term defined in one plain sentence, from LVR to comparison rates.
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