Investing in property: what you need to know

Tips to help you find the right investment property loan for you!

If you are going to use your hard earned money, where will you invest it? This is a question that requires a lot of careful thought and research. Business minded people may invest in the stock market, FOREX (Foreign Exchange) trading; others venture their money in traditional businesses, while there are people who will invest in expensive cars. It just depends on what your interests are and where you see a potential for growth.

Whilst those involved in the finance world may choose to invest their money in this way, most ordinary people invest in the real estate market. If you are looking for your first home, or an investment property, but not have any idea what the first steps are, then read on for some great tips.
Which property is best?

Depending on your needs, you may choose to invest in a property that you can call a home, something that will produce high yields or a property to use as a holiday home. However, this decision is largely based on the state of your finances.

When choosing an investment property, it must be something that you can afford, not something that will cause you further financial stress or cause you to default under any existing loan obligations. This is principally why it is important to speak to the right people before committing yourself to further obligations and making that decision to invest.

Who can help me?

Looking for the right home or property is only half the task, finding the right company or financial institution to help you in your property loan is the other! Most banks offer competitive investment loans and rates and where you have existing properties, you can use the equity in those properties to borrow without a deposit!

Additional features of investment loans include redraw options, offset and additional repayments. It is also important to consider positive vs negative gearing.

Positive and negative gearing

These are the terms used to describe investors acquiring a loan to invest in property. Negative gearing is where the cost of owning the investment property outweighs the actual returns received, and positive gearing is the opposite. Negative gearing is beneficial as it serves to reduce the amount of tax payable on your regular income.

Interest only repayments are also available for a period of up to five years. This means that any other money that would be paid to cover the principal, is freed up to further invest.
With so many options available, it is important that you speak to a financial consultant. Getting advice can also help make the process simpler. So what tips do you need to guide your decision? Read on to find out.

Eight factors to consider when choosing a loan

When looking for the right investment loan, it is important to consider the following points:

  • Loans with low repayments
  • Loans with low interest rates and fees
  • Loans with no hidden charges
  • A loan that is in tuned with your present financial goals
  • Seek advice about the right loan for you
  • Think about buying property with friends and family
  • Use the equity in any existing property
  • Research the location and market price of the property

Ask the right questions

It is necessary to know the advantages and disadvantages of different property loans. Ask questions and make sure that you understand fully understand the terms and conditions of the loan and the financial institutions criteria.

Planning is also very important. Making sure that you have all your finances in order will better protect you in the event of any unforeseen circumstances that may affect your ability to repay the loan amount. Speaking to the right people and getting the right advice will ensure that you make the best decision possible for your situation, to minimize the risk involved and maximize your satisfaction with your investment choice.

 Mail this post

Australian Expatriate Mortgage

Family moving overseasExpatriate Australians or people from overseas that are planning to work in Australia can purchase real estate – either a home or an investment property in Australia.

The type of home loan, interest rate & lenders that you qualify with will predominantly be determined by your residency status. In addition to this lenders will also carry out a normal assessment of your situation including your income, employment stability, credit history (Australian history only), asset position and savings history.

Which visa holders can qualify for a home loan in Australia?

Australian permanent residents (PR) – Holders of all types of visas are eligible for home loans. The government treats permanent residents much like Australian citizens when it comes to purchasing property. Banks will generally lend permanent residents up to 95 percent of the property value unless the resident is living outside of Australia in which case they can usually obtain 80 percent of the value.

Foreign citizens on a 457 visa – Australia’s Temporary Business (Long Stay) – Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457) is also known as the 457 visa. The 457 is the most common type of working visa for foreigners living in Australia. Holders of this type of visa can normally obtain home loans for up to 80 percent of the property value. Loans for up to 90 percent of the value are available for people who have saved part of the deposit and have worked in Australia for at least 12 months.

Foreign citizens on a temporary or spouse visa – Many residents in Australia are spouses of an Australian citizen and have an Interdependency Visa (subclass 310/110 and 826/814) or a Spouse Visa (subclass 309/100 and 820/801). Persons with either type of visa can normally acquire loans up to 95 percent of the property value. Other temporary visa holders can generally apply for mortgage loans up to 80 percent of the property value.

The Home Loan Experts is a specialist mortgage broker in Australia that has extensive experience and a proven track record in helping expatriates to obtain home loans. They work with more than 40 lenders including major Australian banks and are full members of the MFAA & COSL, ensuring , professional and ethical lending practises. You can find out more about their services on their non-resident mortgage website.

Full list of acceptable visas

In addition to visas for spouses and partners, other types of temporary visas are available for international students, athletes, persons visiting for medical treatment and other temporary visitors.

The following is a list of temporary visas that will normally qualify for a mortgage for up to 80 percent of the property value.

  • Business Visitors Visa (Subclass 456)
  • Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)
  • Bridging Visas from A to E
  • Entertainment Visa (Subclass 420)
  • Contributory Temporary Parent Visa (Subclass 173)
  • Contributory Temporary Aged Parent Visa (Subclass 884)
  • Visiting Academics Visa (Subclass 419)
  • Sport Visa (Subclass 421)
  • Skilled Exchange Visa (Subclass 411)
  • Film, Media, Actors and Support Staff, Photographers and Journalists Visa (Subclass 423)
  • Emergency Visas (Subclasses 302 & 303)
  • Long Validity Business ETA Visas (Subclass 956)
  • Holiday and Visiting Visas (Subclass 976)
  • Medical Treatment Visa
  • New Zealand Citizen’s Family Members Visa (Subclass 461)
  • Religious Worker Visa (Subclass 428)
  • Special Program Visa (Subclass 416)
  • Sponsored Family Visitors Visa (Subclass 679)
  • Special Category Visa (Subclass 444)
  • Student Visa (Subclass 572, 573, 574, 575 & 576)
  • Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 580)
  • Short Validity Business ETA Visas (Subclass 977)

The types of working visas that banks will normally accept for mortgage loans, possibly for up to 90 percent of the property value, are:

  • Foreign Government Agency Visa (Subclass 415)
  • Diplomats Visa (Subclass 995)
  • Domestic Workers Visa (Subclass 426)
  • Investor Retirement Visa (Subclass 405)
  • Medical Practitioner (Temporary) Visa (Subclass 422)
  • Temporary Business (Long Stay) – Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457)
  • Is approval required from the government?

    For those with working visas, approval from Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) may be required depending on the specific circumstances of the visa holder. Generally, so long as you sell the property once you leave Australia, the government will not interfere with your real estate purchases.

    If you are buying an investment property and you are not a PR holder or Australian Citizen then you may be restricted to buying a new property or building a new property. This is a regulation that has been put in place to limit speculation from foreign investors from inflating the value of Australian houses.

    Foreign citizens with temporary visas are required to obtain approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board if they are not staying in the country for more than 12 months. Generally, if you buy a home to live in then you must sell the property once you leave Australia. Many home owners eventually apply for permanent residency and hold on to their property.

    Foreign citizens are not eligible for first home owners grant or other benefits unless they are purchasing the property jointly with an Australian citizen. If they buy with an Australian Citizen or PR holder then FIRB approval is not normally required.

    In many cases, foreign expats can obtain loans that pay higher percentages of the property value by saving money for the mortgage deposit and by waiting until they have lived in the country for more than 12 months.

    For information on getting a loan please refer to a specialise mortgage broker such as the Home Loan Experts, who can help you apply for an Australian expatriate loan, They can lead you through the entire process and optimize your application to improve your chances of getting the best loan.

     Mail this post

Investment Loans

Why should you borrow to invest?

Investors checking their portfolioBorrowing money to invest allows you to purchase assets with only a fraction of the total funds needed. For most people it is impossible to save up enough to purchase an investment such as property. What can you borrow investment funds for? In fact, you can borrow to invest in almost anything banks and other lenders consider a worthy investment! This includes:

  • Property
  • Shares
  • Business
  • Options
  • And many more…

Investing in property?

Investment properties can offer passive income and have potential tax benefits.Some benefits of property investment, amongst others, are:

  • Passive income – Renting the property allows the tenants to cover the repayments for you!
  • Tax deductible interest–Reduces the holding costs of your investment property!
  • High leverage – Helps magnify the potential return with minimal investment capital.
  • Higher possible borrowing capacity with an investment loan.
  • Negative gearing benefits may apply if you have a high taxable income.

Why not talk to your accountant or financial planner to see if you would benefit from a negatively geared investment property.

Investing in shares and/or more?

Do you own a house or investment property? A residentially secured investment loan is cheaper than a margin loan. By using your home or investment property as security you can avoid margin calls and save on interest! This is because a mortgage over property is better security for a bank than a charge over shares.

Some banks have restrictive cash out policies that can restrict your share market investing. You can talk to the home loan experts to find out which lenders can help with your investment loan.

Lenders and servicing your loan

Lenders are obviously interested in your ability to service your loan. As different lenders have separate lending policies, many will look at your loan differently. For example; some offer 100% utilisation of potential rental income when assessing serviceability, whilst others can take tax deductions such as negative gearing into account.

As investors tend to borrow more lenders tend to consider them higher value clients.As long as the lender deems your serviceability satisfactory, you can borrow up to 90% of the property value for your investment. There is even a 95% LVR loan available, however this is more expensive than a 90% LVR loan.

Despite being higher valued clients, investment loans are considered higher risk and therefore banks may have stricter lending guidelines and lend less as a percentage of the property value (%LVR) if you are not an experience investor.

Get the right investment advice…

For more information on investment loans you can contact specific lenders; however it is best to contact a broker such as the home loan experts as they work with many different lenders giving you far more options and more access to loans with lower interest rates.

Some topics you can enquire about are;

  • Types of investment loans
  • Discounts
  • Loan features

The right investment home loan really depends on your particular financial goals. There are many different borrowing options and strategies available.

Remember, when borrowing only use brokers and lenders that believe in responsible borrowing such as the home loan experts, otherwise you can quickly find yourself in financial stress.

It goes without saying, before you borrow to invest you should seek advice from your accountant and or financial planner. The right advice up front will make sure that you are structured in such a way that you can take full advantage of the tax benefits available to you.

 Mail this post