Borrow
Are the days of low-interest home loans numbered?
Those considering refinancing their home loan may want to move fast.
Are the days of low-interest home loans numbered?
As expectations of an inevitable shift in macro-prudential policy rise, the landscape of fixed rate home loans is changing before the eyes of consumers.
Compare Club general manager for home loans Matthew Gatt said that Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s recent home loan rate rise wouldn’t be the last, with other lenders expected to raise their own rates before the end of the year.
“There are still some rates available under 2 per cent but they are rapidly disappearing from the market and it would be surprising to see any three-year fixed-term loans under 2 per cent survive into 2022,” he said.
For that reason, he said that those considering refinancing should look to lock in their interest rate before the end of the year.
“Anybody waiting for approval with CBA who didn’t lock in a rate could be looking at several thousand dollars more in repayments,” he said.
From Mr Gatt’s perspective, most major banks and second-tier lenders have already clearly indicated they’d like to cool the property market. Going forward, he expects to see pricing and lending policies continue to shift in that direction.
“Interest rates will remain competitive over the next 12 months, but we should expect to see less competition in the market for investment and interest-only lending and more competition for owner-occupiers looking to secure great rates throughout the year,” he predicted.
As for what this means for those with a stake in Australia’s property market, Mr Gatt said that a gradual and consistent cooling of the market is more likely than a sharp contraction.
“I don’t believe property values will plummet by any means, but should become much more stable than they have been in recent times,” he said.
Given that, Mr Gatt doesn’t expect to see any significant interest rate increases in the short term.
“There’s still plenty of time for borrowers to secure a great product if they shop around now,” he said.
Findings shared by mortgage broker Aussie revealed a number of other concerning trends when it comes to Australian home loans earlier this year.
Aussie found that approximately 28 per cent of Aussies with home loans were outright unaware of their current rate.
Lendi CEO David Hyman said that the research suggested a concerning rise in complacency among Australian mortgage holders.
“It seems a majority of Australian mortgage holders have been gaining a false sense of security, every time the RBA cash rate stays steady – failing to realise lenders have no obligation to adhere to this when setting their rates,” Mr Hyman said.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
Australia’s credit pivot: Mortgage enquiries hit a three‑year peak as households lean on plastic — what lenders and fintechs must do next
-
Trust is the new yield: Why brokers win when credibility compounds
-
Mortgage Relief Window: How Australia’s Lenders Are Rewiring Risk and Growth at a Three‑Year Lull
About the author
About the author
Loans
Australia’s credit pivot: Mortgage enquiries hit a three‑year peak as households lean on plastic — what lenders and fintechs must do next
Australian home loan interest has rebounded even as households lean harder on cards and personal loans — a classic late‑cycle signal that demands sharper risk, pricing and AI executionRead more
Loans
Trust is the new yield: Why brokers win when credibility compounds
In a market where products look interchangeable, credibility has become the most defensible asset in mortgage broking. With broker channel share hitting record highs and AI reshaping client ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage Relief Window: How Australia’s Lenders Are Rewiring Risk and Growth at a Three‑Year Lull
Australia’s mortgage stress has eased to its lowest level since early 2023, creating a rare—likely brief—window for lenders, brokers and fintechs to reset risk and rebuild growth. This case study ...Read more
Loans
Why ANZ’s tougher stance on company-borrowed home loans matters: A case study in risk recalibration, competition, and what CFOs should do next
ANZ has tightened mortgage credit parameters for loans where a company or trust is the borrower—an apparently narrow policy tweak with wide operational consequences. It signals a broader recalibration ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage 2026: Australia’s share‑of‑wallet war will be won on switching, data rights and AI discipline
The defining feature of Australia’s 2026 mortgage market won’t be house prices; it will be switching velocity. With competition reforms sharpening the Consumer Data Right, lenders and brokers that ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage remorse reshapes the game: Australia's lending squeeze set to redefine banking and household demand
A growing cohort of Australians is rethinking recent home loan decisions as higher repayments collide with household budgets. This isn’t just consumer angst; it’s an economy-wide red flag for lenders, ...Read more
Loans
Aussie mortgage game-changer: Brokers dominate while AI sharpens the edge
Mortgage brokers now originate roughly three in four new Australian home loans, a structural shift that rewires bank economics, product strategy and customer acquisition. MFAA data shows broker market ...Read more
Loans
Fixing the future: How brokers and lenders can turn rate-hike anxiety into strategic advantage
Australian borrowers are leaning into short-term fixed loans as rate uncertainty lingers, shifting risk from households to lenders and their funding partners. That creates a narrow window for broker ...Read more
Loans
Australia’s credit pivot: Mortgage enquiries hit a three‑year peak as households lean on plastic — what lenders and fintechs must do next
Australian home loan interest has rebounded even as households lean harder on cards and personal loans — a classic late‑cycle signal that demands sharper risk, pricing and AI executionRead more
Loans
Trust is the new yield: Why brokers win when credibility compounds
In a market where products look interchangeable, credibility has become the most defensible asset in mortgage broking. With broker channel share hitting record highs and AI reshaping client ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage Relief Window: How Australia’s Lenders Are Rewiring Risk and Growth at a Three‑Year Lull
Australia’s mortgage stress has eased to its lowest level since early 2023, creating a rare—likely brief—window for lenders, brokers and fintechs to reset risk and rebuild growth. This case study ...Read more
Loans
Why ANZ’s tougher stance on company-borrowed home loans matters: A case study in risk recalibration, competition, and what CFOs should do next
ANZ has tightened mortgage credit parameters for loans where a company or trust is the borrower—an apparently narrow policy tweak with wide operational consequences. It signals a broader recalibration ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage 2026: Australia’s share‑of‑wallet war will be won on switching, data rights and AI discipline
The defining feature of Australia’s 2026 mortgage market won’t be house prices; it will be switching velocity. With competition reforms sharpening the Consumer Data Right, lenders and brokers that ...Read more
Loans
Mortgage remorse reshapes the game: Australia's lending squeeze set to redefine banking and household demand
A growing cohort of Australians is rethinking recent home loan decisions as higher repayments collide with household budgets. This isn’t just consumer angst; it’s an economy-wide red flag for lenders, ...Read more
Loans
Aussie mortgage game-changer: Brokers dominate while AI sharpens the edge
Mortgage brokers now originate roughly three in four new Australian home loans, a structural shift that rewires bank economics, product strategy and customer acquisition. MFAA data shows broker market ...Read more
Loans
Fixing the future: How brokers and lenders can turn rate-hike anxiety into strategic advantage
Australian borrowers are leaning into short-term fixed loans as rate uncertainty lingers, shifting risk from households to lenders and their funding partners. That creates a narrow window for broker ...Read more
