Home loans
A closer look at how home loans are put together — rate types, repayment types, features and the costs that sit alongside the interest rate.
Educational information — not personalised financial advice.
Two loans with the same interest rate can behave very differently. This page focuses on the structural choices — rate type, repayment type, features and fees.
The core product: a secured loan repaid over an agreed term, with either a fixed or variable rate and principal-and-interest or interest-only repayments.
Buying for the first time adds deposit, scheme eligibility and stamp duty questions on top of the usual borrowing assessment.
Refinancing replaces an existing loan with a new one, which means a fresh credit assessment and a new set of upfront costs.
Investment lending is assessed differently from owner-occupied lending, and structure decisions have longer-term consequences.
Tools
Mortgage Repayment Calculator
Estimate repayments, total interest and how the balance falls over time.
OpenBorrowing Power Calculator
See an indicative borrowing range based on income, expenses and debts.
OpenLoan-to-Value Ratio Calculator
Check your LVR and whether lenders mortgage insurance may apply.
OpenGuides
Borrowing capacity is shaped by income, expenses, existing debts and lender policy. Here is how the pieces fit together.
Fixed and variable rates manage different risks. The right structure depends on how much certainty you want and what features you use.
FAQ
Where this comes from: Explanations are written from publicly available Australian lending and government information and are reviewed when policy changes. Confirm current figures with the relevant lender or state revenue office before relying on them.
Work through the numbers first. When you want to talk to someone, you can ask to be connected with a finance professional.