Home Loans for Investment Property

Whether you're a first time property investor, or looking to add another property to your portfolio, there is a wide choice of loans available.

Choosing the right loan can have a direct effect on the success of your investment. The wrong loan can be inflexible, unnecessarily expensive and inappropriate for your needs.

Many options are available and the choice of home loan will ultimately depend on your particular investment strategy and the type of property. Here are the three main choices

1. Standard variable rate or fixed rate home loan

Depending on your circumstances, most lenders will let you borrow up to 95 per cent of the purchase price of an investment property. You may, however, be required to take out lenders mortgage insurance.

2. Interest only home loan

With an interest only home loan, repayments only cover the interest component. The principal is repaid in full at the end of the loan term (usually three to five years). Because borrowers only repay the interest component, interest only loans have lower repayments than principal and interest loans.

3. Equity home loan

If you already own or substantially own your home, you can borrow against the “equity’ your have accumulated. Equity is simply the difference between what your property is worth and what you owe. For example, if you have $200,000 to pay off on a home worth $500,000, you have $300,000 worth of equity. An equity home loan gives you a line of credit on your mortgage up to an approved amount. The loan can be taken in full or in stages, making it particularly useful for property investing.

Important extras

Loan features that may offer tax benefits or help you pay off your investment loan sooner include:

• interest in advance home loan (lets you pay next year’s interest in the current financial year, thus creating a tax deduction for eligible borrowers)
• mortgage offset account (lets you use savings and interest earned on savings to pay off the loan principal).

This is where the knowledge and experience we provide can be invaluable. We'll look at your total situation and identify areas in which you can potentially save money by simplifying loan structures and maximizing the use of assets. Did you know that by using the equity in your home, banks can finance up to 110% of the value of an investment property depending on your home value?

We will work with you to explain all your options and the advantages and risks associated with each. Then they'll ensure you get the full benefits from the loan of your choice.

Includes

• Hints in the buying process
• 10 steps to buying a home
• Apply for a loan
• Jargon Buster