A new year has finally come! The hardships of the global pandemic are not yet over, but yay, we made it here! New year’s resolutions have always been the trend at the start of the new year. Unlike any other year, our standard resolutions list for 2021 may need a little shake-up.A famous quote says, “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” Having control of your mind and the way you think, helps the way you process the world and those around you, and will bring wholeness back to your life. We’ve been through a lot over the past year so it is more important than ever to take a step back, take a deep breath and prioritise self-care. Here are a few steps to help you take care of your mental health this year.
Intentionally give thanks
Gratitude is a way of appreciating what others have done for you, as well as the things that you have, rather than focusing on what you don’t. Research shows that grateful thinking improves mood. When people are focused on the good, they are practicing benefit-focused reappraisal, most similar to the phrase of “finding the silver-lining”.
How do you cultivate gratitude on a regular basis? Here are some suggestions:

• Do simple acts of kindness towards others no matter how small. Tip: List down small acts of kindness on separate pieces of paper (e.g. texting a family member or friend to wish them a nice day), fold and put in a fishbowl. Pick one daily to complete.
• Say a genuine “thank you” to others, such as the waiter at your local café. This can inspire them to do the same for someone else. A simple thank-you note also works wonders.
• Keep a gratitude journal or board. Have a visual space of the things you are grateful for. These could be in the form of photos, words, and objects of the people, things and experiences you’re grateful to have in your life.

Start a hobby that you enjoy
A hobby is a great way to unwind from your daily routine during your spare time. Research shows that four out of five Australians find their hobby helps reduce stress and feelings of loneliness and isolation, and improves their mental wellbeing in the long term. This is why hobbies have played an important part during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Get moving often
Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries, therefore, it reduces stress. A recent research suggests that short bursts of activities may still have health benefits, as long as it adds up to 30 minutes a day total. It’s now time to find an activity you enjoy – it could be a regular walk with your dog, reading or gardening – and make it part of your regular routine.
Stop yo-yo dieting
Many people often avoid fully participating in life while waiting for their ideal body. People who are dissatisfied with their body image typically avoid social activities, physical intimacy and getting active. This may often lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
This is why weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, and there is no shortage of diet plans and gimmicks on the market. While there are some that are good, restrictive dieting typically leads to long-term weight gain and therefore can fail from the start.
So, rather than beating yourself up about how you look, start the change by accepting, caring and loving yourself, regardless of your body size and shape. The way we view our body and how we feel towards it, can have significant impacts on our mental and physical health. Having an active appreciation of our bodies can lead to healthier lifestyle changes, overall better mood and greater life satisfaction.
Reduce screen time for more sleep time
As we enter the era where we can do almost anything using our devices, the prevalence of mental health issues has increased. A survey result from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed that one in five (20.1%) of Australians reported a mental or behavioural condition in 2017-2018. It has been known that screen time is linked to poor sleep quality, as well as depression and various mental health problems. This is why the recommended leisure screen time is no more than 2 hours per day. There are certain cells in the eye that process ambient light that signals directly to the brain to regulate consciousness, sleep and alertness. So, exposure to artificial light before bedtime causes disruption in our internal clocks that affects our sleeping habits. Sleep deprivation affects your psychological state and mental health.
These small steps for our self-care can make long lasting change in our lives.
The year is still young, so it’s not too late to commit to your resolutions. Set yourself up for success by getting prepared, and once you start, keep on going even if you miss a couple of goals here and there. If wellbeing is your priority this year, you may also like to check our home wellbeing guide for more self-care strategies.
Whatever your goals and resolutions for this coming year are, we wish that you have a healthy and happy 2021.

The role of a mortgage broker is to guide you through the home loan journey and help you choose the right product or feature for you.Our role is to work closely with a panel of lenders — from the big banks, to the smaller lenders you may not be as familiar with — to ‘shop’ the home loan market for you. But our job isn’t just about comparing home loans. We stay on top of market trends and changing lender requirements, so you can be confident in the recommendations we provide’.
Even before you are ready to buy a home, we can offer valuable support by explaining the home buying process and working with you to ensure you achieve your property goals.

How does a mortgage broker save you money?
Some people choose to stick with the bank they already have accounts with — but they could be missing out on a competitive home loan option elsewhere.
Brokers have up to date knowledge of the home loan market — different types of lenders, new loan options, the conditions attached to a low-rate loan, and more. This just means your mortgage broker can find competitive deals that are right for your needs, present you with the options, and help you avoid more expensive or unsuitable loans.

How does a mortgage broker help me secure loan approval?
As a home loan expert, your mortgage broker knows what it takes to get your home loan application over the line with the right lender. 
They’ll explain any steps you may need to take to tidy up your finances before applying for a loan and identify any possible red flags that could work against you. They’ve helped many others and know what to look for — chances are, they could find something you may have missed.
What do I need to prepare when meeting with a broker?
It’s never too early to start planning for your first or next home. If you’re at the very beginning of your home buying journey, just bring along a list of the questions you’d like to ask.
If you’re closer to buying a place of your own, it’s a good idea to gather banks statements, payslips and other necessary documents that will give your mortgage broker a better idea of where you stand financially. After reviewing your documents, your mortgage broker will also be able to explain any steps you could take to help your home loan application get the thumbs up with the right lender. 
With the support of your broker, you’ll be well-placed to understand more about how buying a home works, and what you can do to start making your property goals a reality.
Call us for a chat today.
If you’re looking to buy your first home, purchase your next one, invest in property or refinance your current home loan just let us know. We would love helping you achieve your home ownership, so please get in touch.
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Happy new year! Have you taken your first steps to achieving your goals in 2021? While we probably can’t motivate you to eat better or exercise more, as your mortgage broker, we can help you achieve your property goals!Don’t know where to start? Check out these property goals and how we can help you achieve them.
Buying your first home
This could be the year to buy your first home! Isn’t that exciting? Home values have increased over the last decade while mortgage rates have dropped to historic lows, so now could be the right time to consider taking the plunge into the property market.  We can help you by:

• Determining your borrowing capacity.
• Review your budget to save for your deposit.
• Exploring alternative ideas for a deposit, such as a guarantor’s home loan, for example.
• Helping you create a plan to clear off any debt and/or improve your credit rating to make you a more attractive prospect for lenders.
• Exploring available grants, concessions, or other initiatives you may be eligible for.
• Giving you referrals for reputable professional valuators, conveyancers, solicitors, and accountants.
• Organising pre-approval for a home loan, so you know how much you can spend and save time on your property search.
• Managing the loan application and submission process on your behalf to ensure a smooth settlement.

Moving into your next home
Upsizing, downsizing, sea-change, treechange – there are many reasons and motivations for moving into your next home this year. With so many options it can get a bit overwhelming. Even if you already know how to purchase a home, you’re bound to have questions when buying your next place. To make sure you grab a bargain, you can ask us about:

• The costs involved.
• Property and market reports to help guide your purchasing decision.
• Using the equity in your current home as a deposit.
• Bridging loan options.

Investing in property
If you have no plans of moving into a new home yet, purchasing an investment property is also worth considering. Save time planning and researching by speaking to us to help you with:

• Comprehensive property and market reports to help you choose the right property in the right location.
• Comparing the loan market to find the right loan products that meet your strategy.
• Referring you to reputable property managers and other professionals.
• Working with your accountant and/or financial planner on your investment strategy.
• Getting loan pre-approval and ensuring your loan application goes smoothly.
• Accessing equity in your home or from another investment property to use as a deposit.

Better management of expenses and cash flow
You can maximise your borrowing capacity by managing your expenses and getting on top of your cash flow. As your mortgage broker, we can help you in this area by:

• Helping you understand your current financial health.
• Providing you with options for debt consolidation.
• Referring you to reliable professionals who can help you organise your financial affairs.

Renovating your current home
If you’re thinking of renovating or expanding your current home this year, here are the ways we can help you in this area:

• Explain your finance options for renovations, to help you choose the right loan.
• Provide you with valuable insights into what to expect when renovating to keep you from being financially overwhelmed.

2021 is here – let’s go!
Achieving your goals starts with having a great plan. And we’re ready to help make your 2021 goals a reality. Get in touch and let’s work together in realising your dream home or investment property.

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2021. Despite all the challenges caused by the pandemic, the property market finished the year on a strong note in 2020. Read on to find out how the property market performed near you and what’s in store for 2021.
Interest rate news
Last year, the cash rate decreased three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The RBA didn’t meet this month, extending the seriously low official cash rate of 0.10 per cent until at least the next meeting on 2 February.
The RBA Board said that low rates will likely stay for a while in order to aid the economy’s recovery by:

• lowering financing costs for borrowers
• contributing to a lower exchange rate than otherwise
• supporting asset prices and balance sheets
• and the Term Funding Facility (TFF) supporting the supply of credit to businesses.

With this, we see lenders offering competitive home loan interest rates. Speak to us if you wish to review your options and compare home loans that would suit your current financial situation.
Home value movements
Summer is in full swing as the Australian housing market gained momentum through the end of 2020 – annual home values finished the year 3.0 per cent higher nationally. All capital cities recorded a higher rate of capital gain except Melbourne in 2020.  Darwin saw the highest annual capital gain at +8.99 per cent dwelling value increase. Regional housing market conditions surged in 2020 as remote working opportunities, lifestyle properties and lower density housing options became more popular.
Housing values continued the recovery trend on its third month, recording a 1.0 per cent rise in all capital cities and regional areas in December. The biggest jump was seen in Darwin where values increased by 2.34 per cent. Dwelling values increased by more than 1.0 per cent in Adelaide (1.10 per cent), Perth (1.06 per cent) and Brisbane (1.06 per cent). According to CoreLogic’s Head of Research, Tim Lawless, the rebound in housing market activity and dwelling values is not a surprise given the rapid and substantial monetary and fiscal response from the Government and policy makers.
CoreLogic data shows that inventory levels remain low throughout 2020 despite of the increase in the number of new listings in spring and early summer. This means that there are more active buyers than new listings being added to the market. “Despite new listing numbers being consistently lower relative to their 2019 levels, the estimated number of home sales were almost 8 per cent higher though 2020 compared with the 2019 calendar year. This imbalance between effective supply and demand is another factor that has supported a rise in housing prices as a sense of urgency returned to the market with home buyers outnumbering sellers, most areas around the country represent a seller’s market.” Mr. Lawless said. The data also shows that homes are selling faster and vendors are discounting their prices less.

What’s in store for 2021?
2020 has experienced extremes due to COVID-19 but the property market showed resilience through the economic downfall, ending the year with annual home sales about 8 per cent higher than a year ago.
With the RBA keeping the low interest rates for a while in order to aid the economy’s recovery, this is good news for new home buyers, property investors and current home owners alike. 2021 will be a great time to focus on paying down your mortgage whilst interest rates remain low. If you’ve had your home loan for a while, now is the time to talk to us about a home loan health check.
Remember, we’re here to help you to manage your mortgage and support you to achieve your property goals in 2021. Please give us a call to chat about your plans. We’d love to hear from you!
Additional sources:
https://www.corelogic.com.au/news/corelogic-december-home-value-indices
https://www.rba.gov.au/monetary-policy/rba-board-minutes/2020/2020-12-01.html
https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2020/mr-20-32.html

Amid all the recent change it is hard to believe that tax time is approaching again! Was that a groan? We understand and we can help. If you’re like most property investors, trawling through receipt upon receipt to tally up your allowable deductions is probably not your idea of fun. So, as tax time looms we wanted to share our pre-tax time checklist to make things just a bit easier for you.

1. Organise your receipts and records
2. Make an appointment with your tax accountant to complete your tax return
3. Tally up your allowable deductions
4. Determine your assessable rental income
5. Review your loans and finances
6. Start planning for the year ahead

We can help you determine if you can access your equity to renovate, or perhaps expand your investment portfolio if you’re in a position to do so. Remember, asking us to give you a free property investment loan health check could potentially save you money, so it’s worth giving us a call.

If you have any questions about the pre-tax time checklist or would like us to assess your situation, please contact us – we are here to help.

Click here for information about ATO measures and tailored support during COVID-19.
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Winter has arrived quickly and we’re hoping you’re well and keeping warm. Recently the property market slowed down considerably with the COVID-19 pandemic having a huge impact. Find out more about home value movements in each state below.Interest rate news
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced it has decided to keep the official cash rate unchanged at 0.25% at its meeting on the 2nd June.
According to the RBA, the pace of recovery for the quarter beyond June is uncertain. The outlook will depend on the extent to which the market continues to be affected by social distancing and other containment restrictions. RBA governor Philip Lowe said in the previous meeting that the Board will not increase the cash rate until progress is being made towards full employment and inflation is sustainably within the 2-3 per cent target band.
Interest rates remain low for some time and there are plenty of competitive home and property investment loans available. Talk to us to make sure you’re getting the right deal for you.
Home value movements
We have seen a reduction in home values in May as the market activity showed more positive signs. The Home Value Index report from CoreLogic shows that the estimate of sales activity bounced back by 18.5% in May after a drop of 33% in April. CoreLogic head of research, Tim Lawless, said “Considering the weak economic conditions associated with the pandemic, a fall of less than half a percent in housing values over the month shows the market has remained resilient to a material correction. With restrictive policies being progressively lifted or relaxed, the downwards trajectory of housing values could be milder than first expected.”
Melbourne’s housing market has posted the largest fall over the month, down at -0.9% May. Home values were also down in Sydney (-0.42%), Brisbane (-0.08), Perth (-0.56%) and Darwin (-1.59%), but rose in Canberra (+0.55%), Hobart (+0.77%) and Adelaide (+0.45%).