<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a> is preparing to commence construction on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> this October, marking the next milestone for the Melbourne CBD development and its higher-end Eliza Collection.

Spanning levels 44 to 68 of the 68-storey <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>-designed tower, the Eliza Collection has been conceived as a lower-density offering within the broader development, with only five apartments on each floor, dedicated lift access and a collection of resident spaces reserved exclusively for Eliza Collection residents.

The Eliza Collection forms part of Far East Consortium's broader move toward larger-format residences at 640 Bourke Street, where the number of apartments was reduced from earlier plans as apartment sizes increased.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365685]

"What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Far East Consortium Director of Sales and Marketing Lauren Sheldon said.

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang said the design process provided an opportunity to create more generous floorplans.

"We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=368869]

That thinking carries through to the Eliza Collection, where the residences have been designed around the space and functionality associated with a larger home, but positioned high above the centre of Melbourne.

Kitchens are equipped with Gaggenau appliances, a butler's pantry, temperature-controlled wine cabinet and sculptural pendant lighting, while engineered timber flooring, stone and porcelain finishes and custom cabinetry feature throughout the broader interiors.

Privacy and security are another point of distinction. Eliza Collection residents have dedicated lift access, while 640 Bourke Street will provide concierge services and secure resident parking. Short-stay accommodation, including Airbnb, will not be permitted within the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365689]

Eliza Collection residents will also have exclusive access to selected amenity spaces across levels one and three of the restored Eliza Tinsley building. These include the Salon with grand piano, an art therapy room, private dining rooms and treatment rooms.

They sit within more than 3,000 sqm of amenity planned across 640 Bourke Street, alongside facilities including a pool, gym, whisky lounge and further social and wellness spaces.

The Eliza Tinsley building itself is central to the wider project's identity. Rather than treating the existing Eliza Tinsley façade as a separate element, Rothelowman used it as a starting point for the architecture of the new tower, with the historic building to accommodate the project's gallery and lobby.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=368872]

The tower will rise behind the retained heritage building at 640 Bourke Street, placing residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market and the Docklands waterfront.

With construction scheduled to begin in October, Far East Consortium has established an onsite display gallery at 640 Bourke Street, including fully built apartments that allow the project's layouts, materials and finishes to be inspected at full scale.

A fully built Eliza Collection apartment is also available to view at the display suite by appointment ahead of the planned October construction commencement.

Eligible purchasers who buy before construction commences can secure the full available off-the-plan stamp duty savings, subject to eligibility and applicable conditions.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

Joel Robinson

Far East Consortium brings Eliza Collection to 640 Bourke Street ahead of October construction start

By the time S&amp;S Projects began planning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia</a>, the developer already had three Rainbow Bay projects from which to draw.

Flow, Awaken and Esprit had given <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Projects</a> experience developing in the southern Gold Coast enclave, as well as buyer feedback that could be carried into its fourth project, a boutique collection of 38 residences at 271 Boundary Street.

“We have experienced a lot of success in this location and as this was our fourth building we had taken all of the learnings and buyer feedback from previous projects to arrive at a design and apartment mix that we believe had captured all of that experience and remained a true S&amp;S Project in its design and amenity,” the developer said.

That experience has translated into a collection of two, three, four and five-bedroom residences including two penthouses positioned on an elevated corner in Rainbow Bay, where the site opens to multiple coastal view corridors and the area's distinctive north-facing bay.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284542]

S&amp;S Projects says the Boundary Street site took years to assemble, having previously comprised six units, a house and a duplex. The developer worked individually with the existing owners to bring the properties together after an earlier attempt to sell the site had been complicated by the number of parties involved.

“We are constantly looking for properties that meet our brand standards of location, views, and sites that are rare with unique aspects that we can develop to maximise the lifestyle of residents who live in our buildings,” S&amp;S Projects said.

The Boundary Street site gave <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a> a different set of conditions to work with.&nbsp;

“Our design brief was to design a building that took advantage of its unique elevated corner siting offering a range of spectacular view corridor opportunities,” Cottee Parker said.

“The design had to reinforce the strong brand pillars of S&amp;S which are quality, luxury and superior resident amenity.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284543]

Cottee Parker responded with a sculptural floorplate and strong horizontal banding, with continuous balconies and landscaped planters wrapping the building. Operable screens along the balcony edges allow residents to manage light and shade while creating an additional layer of pattern across the facade.

The tower rises above a heavily landscaped podium incorporating the entry lobby and recreational level, while the broader architectural expression takes cues from Rainbow Bay's coastal environment through its organic forms and light material palette.

Cottee Parker says the design has also been developed to complement S&amp;S Projects’ three previous Rainbow Bay developments while retaining its own architectural identity.

Inside, the residences continue that coastal response through two interior schemes centred on warm timbers and neutral tones, alongside patterned natural stone and fluted detailing.

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors connect open-plan living areas to wraparound balconies, while natural stone is used across benchtops, splashbacks and bathroom walls. Specifications also include light-washed timber flooring, gas fireplaces, integrated bar and wine fridges, freestanding stone baths and 100 per cent wool carpet.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284559]

Cottee Parker Director Sandra Brown said the intention was to create an architectural response closely connected to its surroundings.

“Imagine architecture that breathes with the rhythm of nature, where every curve and line flows seamlessly – creating spaces that dance with the elements, where sunlight kisses every surface and the gentle sea breeze fills every space,” Brown said.

The lessons S&amp;S Projects carried into Radia also extend to its resident amenity, with a substantial collection of shared facilities planned for just 38 residences.

A dedicated Residents Club will include a lap pool and spa, gymnasium, ice bath, sauna, steam room and hot rocks sauna. A residents' lounge, private dining room, outdoor dining and barbecue area and business centre are also planned, along with storage and dedicated surfboard and beach lockers.

S&amp;S Projects Founding Director Paul Gedoun said the facilities were also designed around the project's Rainbow Bay setting.

“Each amenity is designed to capitalise on the lifestyle of Rainbow Bay, ensuring residents can enjoy the relaxed coastal experience the enclave is famous for,” Gedoun said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284555]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a> says purchasers to date have predominantly included local downsizers, interstate lifestyle investors and families, alongside a strong contingent of repeat S&amp;S purchasers.&nbsp;

According to the project sales team, feedback has centred on the natural stone and joinery, generous floorplans, natural light and the ability for residences to capture views in multiple directions. The completed Flow, Awaken and Esprit developments have also provided prospective purchasers with an existing reference point for S&amp;S Projects' delivery in Rainbow Bay.

There has also been interest from high-profile surfers and people connected to the surf community, with the elevated building providing outlooks towards several of the area's recognised surf breaks.

Radia continues S&amp;S Projects' concentration of development in a tightly held part of the southern Gold Coast, close to Rainbow Bay Beach, Snapper Rocks, Duranbah Beach, Greenmount Beach and the Tweed River. The neighbourhood also includes a growing collection of hospitality venues, while Coolangatta Airport provides connections beyond the southern Gold Coast.

Hutchinson Builders is now delivering Radia, continuing the project from early works privately funded by S&amp;S Projects. The $250 million development is expected to reach completion in the third quarter of 2027.

“With our history in Rainbow Bay, we have been fortunate to be heavily involved in how the development landscape has unfolded and this project slides into the property landscape comfortably and will feel like it was always there,” the developer said.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140491]

How three Rainbow Bay projects shaped S&S Projects' fourth, Radia

Nearly 40 years after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sheida-group">The Sheida Group</a> began working on the northern Gold Coast, the family-owned developer is continuing its involvement in Hope Island with Marina Point Apartments, where apartment scale has been a central part of the development.

Across the 235-apartment waterfront community, the developer has prioritised larger floorplans, substantial open space and marina access, responding to a purchaser base that has predominantly comprised local owner-occupiers and downsizers moving from larger homes.

"Having already delivered Anchorage nearby, we also understood this particular market and how people live here," developer Rick Sheida said.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marina-point-apartments-hope-island-66-view-line-terrace-hope-island-qld-4212">Marina Point&nbsp;Apartments</a> gave us the opportunity to build on those lessons and create the next evolution of our work in Hope Island."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293151]

The Sheida Group acquired the Marina Point land around 2018. Its appeal, Sheida says, went beyond having a waterfront address.

"What attracted us was not simply that the site was waterfront, but the way it meets the water," he said.

"It sits at the junction of broad waterways, creating long sightlines, changing views and a sense of movement throughout the day. Its shape also allowed us to orient the buildings outward, improve privacy between residences and make better use of natural light and breezes."

The buildings have subsequently been positioned around the perimeter of the site, allowing most apartments to take in water views while others look across the resort amenity or hinterland. Once all four buildings are complete, approximately one hectare of the site is expected to remain as open space.

The waterfront also provides the potential for up to 50 marina berths, with berths ranging from 15 to 24 metres and options designed to accommodate wider vessels including catamarans. Access from the marina to the Gold Coast Seaway is bridge-free.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293149]

The developer says purchasers to date have predominantly been owner-occupiers and downsizers from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marina-point-apartments-hope-island-66-view-line-terrace-hope-island-qld-4212">Hope Island</a> and elsewhere on the Gold Coast, generally aged between 45 and 70. Many have sold larger family homes or properties requiring significant upkeep.

That purchaser profile informed a design brief centred on retaining the space and functionality of a larger home within an apartment format.

"Many of our buyers are coming from large, well-appointed homes in Sanctuary Cove and the surrounding area," the project team said.

"They are accustomed to generous spaces and thoughtful design, so it was important that the apartments delivered the same sense of comfort and functionality.

"Every room needed to feel well proportioned, every space needed a clear purpose and nothing could feel compromised."

Residences range from 139 sqm through to 319 sqm penthouses, with two car spaces provided to apartments and three to penthouses. Minimum 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, entertainer's kitchens with butler's pantries, substantial storage and balconies ranging from 18 sqm to 37 sqm further reflect the emphasis on space.

One purchaser from Sanctuary Cove has taken the concept further, combining two of Marina Point's largest apartments to create a 552 sqm residence with raked ceilings reaching up to 4.5 metres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293155]

With Building 1 now complete, the developer is also seeing its original design assumptions tested against purchaser feedback.

Three completed display residences allow prospective purchasers to compare apartment sizes, layouts, finishes and outlooks in person. The sales team says one of the most consistent responses has been to the scale of the apartments, with visitors describing them as feeling more like homes than conventional apartments.

The first stage of resident amenity is also operational, including a 25-metre heated lap pool, Technogym-equipped gym, infrared sauna, golf simulator and yoga room. Future facilities are set to include a resort-style pool and spa, waterfront barbecue area and a residents' lounge with a library, fireplace, pool table, kitchen and bar.

Rather than treating the four buildings independently, the design brief called for a complete waterfront neighbourhood, balancing private residences with landscaping, open space, marina access and shared amenity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293152]

For Sheida, Marina Point Apartments is ultimately an extension of the developer's longer-term involvement in Hope Island and its view of how the suburb is evolving.

"We were equally interested in the long-term future of Hope Island," he said.

"Its position between Brisbane and the central Gold Coast gives residents access to both, while improving transport connections are making the northern Gold Coast increasingly attractive as a permanent place to live."

Hope Island Marketplace is 1.3 kilometres from Marina Point, while Sanctuary Cove and Paradise Point are within six kilometres. Links Hope Island, The Pines and The Palms golf courses are also nearby, and the new Hope Island train station is under construction around five kilometres from the development.

Building 2 is under construction, with completion scheduled for 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136992]

Marina Point Apartments continues The Sheida Group's 40-year Hope Island story

Sydney-based fund manager and developer EG is seeking to turn part of the former Roche pharmaceutical campus in Cromer into a 130-home residential community, introducing a mix of low-rise apartments, townhouses and duplexes to the tightly held Northern Beaches market.

The SJB-designed masterplan has been prepared for the 3.2-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/100-south-creek-road-cromer-nsw-2099">100 South Creek Road</a>, part of the former Roche landholding that EG acquired for $55 million in 2017 through its Yield Plus Infrastructure Fund No. 2.

EG is proposing what SJB describes as a new "urban village" set within the site's significant existing tree canopy.

<img alt="Cromer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="482c9a58-49f1-4c53-a12e-aaa02336229f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2011.20.57%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=hZP8_XfPnfNq500dbcjlpVwYU1ebhF9_" />

Around three hectares of the site is considered developable, with the balance incorporating a riparian corridor that would be rehabilitated and revegetated as part of the proposal.

The indicative masterplan comprises approximately 72 apartments in low-rise residential buildings and another 58 townhouses and duplexes.

The apartment component would include around five one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom and 30 three-bedroom residences, while the townhouse and duplex component would be spread across several different housing typologies. The overall scheme would deliver around 19,500 sqm of gross floor area at an FSR of 0.6:1.

Parking for the apartment component is currently estimated at around 112 resident spaces and 14 visitor spaces, while the townhouse and duplex component would have 116 resident and 12 visitor spaces.

A significant part of the masterplan revolves around retaining the established landscape character of the former Roche campus.

SJB's plans show heavily treed setbacks along both Campbell Avenue and South Creek Road, a centrally located collection of significant native and exotic trees retained as communal open space, and the regeneration of the northern bushland area.

The existing creek corridor along the site's western edge would also be rehabilitated and revegetated, creating additional separation between the new homes and the neighbouring Northern Beaches Business Park.

A heritage-listed cottage and its garden setting would be retained and restored, with SJB flagging its potential adaptive reuse as communal space.

The proposal also includes new communal recreation areas, pedestrian connections to Campbell Avenue and South Creek Road, and a contribution toward improvements to the adjoining Michele Reserve.

Vehicular access would be restricted to South Creek Road, with no vehicle entry proposed from Campbell Avenue. The main internal road would largely follow the site's existing driveway to minimise the impact on established trees.

SJB said residential redevelopment presented an opportunity to retain the majority of the site's heritage-listed mature trees while delivering a broader range of housing types than typically seen across the Northern Beaches.

"The site being 3.27 hectares in area represents one of the largest vacant sites in common ownership in the Cromer and Dee Why area capable of residential renewal," SJB noted in the masterplan.

The architect said the proposal would particularly target housing diversity through townhouses and other "missing middle" typologies suitable for singles, young families, downsizers and retirees.

<img alt="Cromer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e3f5d841-8491-427e-8ada-c70d3d03d6bc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2011.21.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xTV7r.q8lrTzC9vKzMS9zMbjm9wKwhgm" />

The site emerged following the subdivision of the former Roche campus into eastern and western parcels.

EG has already transformed the western portion into the Northern Beaches Business Park, which incorporates heritage-listed office space, modern warehouses and indoor recreation facilities.

The proposed residential community, referred to as Cromer East in SJB's plans, adjoins established housing to the north, east and south-east, while the business park sits beyond the creek corridor to the west.

It is also within 250 metres of Pittwater House School and Northern Beaches Secondary College, while bus stops within a three-to-five-minute walk provide connections to Dee Why, Brookvale and express services to the Sydney CBD. Cromer Park and the South Creek open space corridor are also nearby.

EG acquired the broader 7.5-hectare former Roche campus in 2017 for $55 million through its Yield Plus Infrastructure Fund No. 2. The campus at the time comprised more than 25,000 sqm of industrial and office buildings set within landscaped grounds.

The current residential site represents the eastern portion of that original holding.

EG's investment strategy for the fund has centred on acquiring income-producing real estate with longer-term rezoning and repositioning potential, particularly assets benefiting from infrastructure and changing land-use patterns.

EG also has an established residential track record across Sydney, including Bosco in Five Dock, Tempo in Drummoyne, The Flour Mill in Summer Hill and Pindari in Randwick.

The developer says it has delivered more than 1,000 homes to date, with a further 3,000-plus residences across its development pipeline.

First look: EG plans 130 apartments on former Roche pharmaceutical campus in Cromer

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> has lodged plans for a $750 million, three-tower mixed-use precinct that would complete the long-running redevelopment of Carlton's former Carlton United Breweries site.

The proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/185-195-queensberry-street-carlton-vic-3053">46-78 Bouverie Street and 185-195 Queensberry Street</a> spans a 6,468 sqm site, the last remaining undeveloped parcels within the former brewery's 2007 masterplan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the development will comprise two purpose-built student accommodation towers and a third build-to-sell apartment tower above a shared commercial podium and basement.

Across the three towers, SP Setia is proposing 606 build-to-sell apartments and 1,499 student accommodation units containing 2,009 beds.

The apartments will sit in the tallest tower, which will rise nearly 200m and 55 storeys. It will become&nbsp;one of the more substantial new build-to-sell apartment projects at the northern edge of Melbourne's CBD.

The apartment mix is weighted toward smaller inner-city product, with 188 studios, 206 one-bedroom apartments, 192 two-bedroom apartments and 20 three-bedroom apartments

<img alt="First look: SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8271bc87-1b0a-41b7-ac73-a425ee375261" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/3_2.png?VersionId=G4lw23o90B1boX4k4dj7rdz2ZEajS9wy" />

Part of the precinct will be a large-scale&nbsp;3,684 sqm supermarket and a further 2,198 sqm of speciality retail, creating close to 5,900 sqm of new commercial space within the precinct.

But one of the biggest components of the proposal is what sits between the buildings.

Around 4,650 sqm, or roughly 72 per cent of the site, will be publicly accessible open space, incorporating plazas, pedestrian connections, landscaped laneways and retail spill-out areas.

The ground plane is intended to finally complete pedestrian connections envisaged when the CUB masterplan was first approved nearly two decades ago, stitching together Victoria Street, Queensberry Street, Bouverie Street and Swanston Street through the former brewery precinct.

Urbis said the development would "complete the CUB precinct", with the public realm providing important north-south and east-west connections through what is currently the final undeveloped portion of the masterplanned site.

SP Setia is also exploring a new linear park within the Bouverie Street road reserve, with the concept to be developed further with the City of Melbourne through the planning process.

The proposal is being pursued through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program under Clause 53.23 for significant residential development with affordable housing.

The planning report acknowledges the proposed heights exceed those contemplated under the original Comprehensive Development Plan and masterplan, but argues the built-form context has changed considerably over the past two decades.

Urbis said the three towers would instead create a stepped transition between Carlton and the Hoddle Grid, rising progressively from the 94.1-metre Tower One along the Queensberry Street edge to the 199.44-metre Tower Three closer to the established CBD-scale buildings to the south.

<img alt="SP Setia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e885a07a-592c-40fc-bf82-e6dbaf32da54" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.52.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7s_ErUkSKAdY1mAWp3GRZgMNCGtwhk5m" />

SP Setia plans to deliver the development across three stages.

Stage One would deliver the basement, podium and retail areas for the entire precinct alongside the first student tower. Tower Two would follow in Stage Two, before the 606-apartment Tower Three is delivered as the final stage.

If approved and delivered, the project would close out a redevelopment process that has been underway since the former brewery masterplan was approved in 2007, adding more than 2,600 student beds and apartments to a precinct already home to Swanston Central, the Barak Building, RMIT Design Hub and several large student accommodation developments.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct

National Australia Bank (NAB) has brought forward the timing of the first RBA cash rate cut by three months.

NAB is now expecting a cut in February, in line with ANZ and Westpac, having initially thought a cut wouldn't come until May.

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB changed its call following the August monthly inflation figures that were released at the end of September, showing it had dropped to 2.7 per cent.

"The risk has been skewed to a first cut earlier in 2025, and today’s change acknowledges the balance of risks has likely shifted sufficiently for the RBA to feel comfortable cutting a little sooner than we earlier expected," NAB noted in its latest update.

They added that the cadence of the cuts may be faster than its central profile.

"Domestic inflation pressures are cooling, but only gradually, and we continue to expect the conditions for a cut will not be in place this year.

NAB believes the easing cycle will end at 3.1 per cent by early 2026, which is five cuts from the current 4.35 per cent cash rate.&nbsp;

CBA also thinks 3.1 per cent will mark the end of the cutting cycle, while Westpac is forecasting 3.35 per cent, and ANZ is the most pessimistic at 3.6 per cent, which would be just three interest rate cuts.

<h2>What would a rate cut in February look like for borrowers?</h2>

According to&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vK2ujS77CHs9VRvSSXzLC" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG" target="_blank">Canstar</a>, if there is a cut in February, a borrower with a $600,000 loan today and 25 years remaining would see their monthly repayments drop by $92.&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Impact of 0.25% pt cut in February 2025
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Current loan size
			</td>
			<td>
			Drop in monthly repayment
			</td>
			<td>
			New monthly repayment
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$600,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$92
			</td>
			<td>
			$3,907
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$750,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$114
			</td>
			<td>
			$4,884
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$1M
			</td>
			<td>
			-$153
			</td>
			<td>
			$6,512
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Source:&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qVnp6oqATgqDUi2Frm22q" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL" target="_blank">www.canstar.com.au</a>. Starting rate is the RBA existing average owner-occupier variable rate of 6.36%. Assumes banks pass the cash rate cut on in full the month after the meeting.
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Canstar Data Insights Director, Sally Tindall, says if core inflation continues to track in the right direction, or unemployment starts to accelerate significantly, we could well see a cash rate cut as early as February of next year.

“All four big banks now believe the RBA will be ready to cut the cash rate in just over four months’ time, if not before, in the case of CBA.

“However, the outlook for both inflation and unemployment is still highly uncertain. A couple of wobbly sets of inflation data could see the RBA holding for longer, particularly if unemployment remains relatively steady."

&nbsp;

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB bring forward first RBA cut to February 2025

<html><body>
Fixed-rate home loans accounted for more than a quarter of all successful home loan applications submitted by Mortgage Choice brokers on behalf of borrowers in April, the highest level in five years, led by a big rise in demand from NSW borrowers.
April figures show that 28.04% of all new Mortgage Choice-submitted home loans approved in April were on fixed rates, up from 27.58% in March and 18.41% in February, the highest level of interest in fixed rate loans since March 2008, when demand reached 34.87%.
In March 2008, the cash rate rose to 7.25% prompting many borrowers to fix, most disastrously, as the cash rate then tumbled to just 3% by April 2009 as the Reserve Bank took emergency measures to prop up borrowing and spending in the wake of the GFC.
However with the cash rate now near record lows at 3% and at most two more rate cuts pencilled by some economists (others like Michael Blythe at the Commonwealth Bank tip no more rate cuts), borrowers are unlikely to lose out to the same extent should the cash rate fall further.
The rise in demand for fixed-rate home loans comes as lenders continue to cut their fixed-rate offerings in an attempt to lock in customers.
Citibank was the most recent to do so with its two-year fixed falling to 4.89% this week while last week <a href="/news">NAB cut its five-year fixed rate home loan</a> to a twenty-year-low of 5.55%.
Demand for fixed-rates rose steeply in NSW by 7.94 percentage points to 32.45% of all home loans.
Demand for fixed-rate home loans fell 6.53 percentage points in Queensland, indicating perhaps less jittery borrowers, but it still remains the second most popular state for fixed-rates at 30%.
Victorian appetite for fixed-rates is weakest across the states with just over one in five borrowers (21%) willing to fix.
<img alt="ratesmay2onethumb" height="198" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/ratesmay2onethumb.gif">
“With a number of lenders still offering highly competitive fixed rate loans, it is not surprising that borrowers have been taking advantage of the deals available and that the national percentage of fixed rate loan approvals has increased,” says Mortgage Choice spokesperson, Belinda Williamson.
“What came as a surprise was that the majority of states – Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia – saw demand for fixed rate loans fall, albeit slightly. With no obvious economic factors instigating the trend, it may be a sign of growing consumer confidence. Time will tell!”
Ongoing discount rate home loans, where the rate is discounted for the life of the loan usually in exchange for a monthly fee, rose to 38% of all home loans – the most popular product – followed by the standard variable home loan (14%) and no-frills basic variable (13%).
<img alt="ratesmay2twothumb" height="171" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/05/ratesmay2twothumb.gif">
</body></html>

lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Fixed-rate mortgage demand rises to highest level in five years led by NSW home buyers: Mortgage Choice

<html><body>
Australia’s 1.76 million landlords claimed a total of $38.6 billion in tax deduction in the 2010-11 tax year, the latest ATO statistics show.
This equates to an average tax deduction of $23,000 per landlord.
The aggregate figure was an 18% increase on the $32.8 billion in tax deductions claimed in the 2009-10 year, where 1.7 million landlords claimed an average deduction of $19,000.
Deductions for interest paid on home loans was the greatest tax deduction claim rising from $18.4 billion in 2009-10 to $22.7 billion in 2010-11.
According to accountants DBA, landlords can claim interest on borrowings if the property was acquired for the purpose of producing assessable income, including interest paid in advance.
Landlords are also entitled to claim deductions for repairs and maintenance of their investment property, though not for capital expenses like alterations or additions.
The ATO figures show a small rise in capital works deductions from $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion.
Other rental deductions rose from $12.8 billion to $14 billion.
Other allowable rental deductions include borrowing expenses including legal costs, bank account costs, accountants and property consultant fees, insurance, property management costs, local council rates, water rates and usage, land tax, advertising for tenants and depreciation.
Around two-thirds of property investors have <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/landlords/two-thirds-of-property-investments-negatively-geared-ato-figures/2013043060891?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news" target="_blank">negatively-geared property investments</a>, the ATO figures also show.
</body></html>

Landlords tax deductions rise to $38.6 billion or $23,000 per tax return: ATO figures

<html><body>
Mark Bouris’s Yellow Brick Road (YBR) franchise network grew its mortgage book by 21% to around $1.5 billion in the first three months of the year, its latest quarterly update reveals.
The growth in mortgage lending follows its new funding tie-up with Macquarie in November last year and just before it commenced its YBR branding blitz with Mark Bouris as the host of Channel 9’s Celebrity Apprentice.
Season three of Celebrity Apprentice, which kicked-off this week with a modest 866,000-viewer premier according to overnight OzTam metro figures, will feature a “YBR episode” based around a new product launch. (Channel Seven's much-mocked "Celebrity Splash" managed 1.3 million viewers with The Voice managing over two million.)
Last year, series two of Celebrity Apprentice premiered with 1.277 million viewers.
The Celebrity Apprentice series is also running alongside a “fully supported television advertising campaign”.
Channel 9’s Nine Ventures consumer investment group holds an 18% stake in Yellow Brick Road with Mark Bouris paying $2.65 million to sponsor reality television series on prime time television for three years with Bouris as host and contestants like <a href="/news">Roxy Jacenko</a> and the wannabe pop star Prinnie Stevens who was the first to be fired.
As for the product initiative, it could be a superannuation offering with YBR revealing plans for a “major product launch in the area of superannuation in late May 2013”.
Other products in the pipeline include a term deposit offering, a cash management account and credit card.
YBR attributed the growth in mortgage applications and settlements to its Empower Home Loan discount product offering.
The figures show the company now has 155 branches.
YBR reported a 32% in branch-generated receipts of $3.51 million for the quarter compared with $2.66 million in the previous corresponding period as a result of increased mortgage settlements and wealth revenue.
</body></html>

Yellow Brick Road mortgage book hits $1.5 billion ahead of Celebrity Apprentice marketing blitz

<html><body>
Big four bank ANZ is unlikely to cut mortgage rates outside of the RBA cycle, chief executive Mike Smith has hinted following the release of stronger than expected half-year results.
ANZ beat analysts’ expectation, posting a 10% rise in first-half cash profit to $3.2 billion for the six months to March 31.
Profits were boosted by the bank holding back some of the rate cuts announced by the RBA during the reporting period.
The bank passed on 40 basis points out of the 50 basis points cut from the cash rate by the RBA in October and December last year following its monthly independent interest rate reviews.
Apart from not passing on cash rate cuts in full, ANZ has twice lifted its mortgage rates out-of-cycle with the RBA since going it alone on rate decisions.
ANZ increased variable rates by 6 basis points in February last year and by 6 basis points in April.
It has yet to cut the cash rate out of cycle.
Smith said where the bank was placed in terms of its interest rate setting was “appropriate” in a media briefing following the release of the interim results.
The half-year results reveal the bank grew its loan book by $5.8 billion (2%) from $182 billion in mortgage funds under management to $188 billion, comprising 860,000 mortgage accounts with owner-occupiers making up 62% of its mortgage portfolio.
The growth in mortgage lending was driven by a $3.3 billion increase in variable rate residential lending and a $2.4 billion increase in commercial lending, driven bygrowth in fixed loans and tailored commercial facilities.
It share of the mortgage market increased from 14.5% in February 2012 to 14.7% in February 2013, with the bank reporting above system mortgage growth for 13 consecutive quarters.
Just 6% of its new lending has been to first-home owners while nearly a third of its borrowers have interest-only loans.
The bank’s mortgage book is in a healthy overall state with 59% of its borrowers more than a month ahead on mortgage repayments.
Borrowers have built up an average equity position of 48%, meaning on average, they own nearly half of their homes outright.
This compares to an average equity position of 35% at the time they originate their home loan.
The proportion of borrowers more than ninety days behind on their mortgage payments comprise just 0.41% of its total mortgage portfolio.
The results reveal the mortgage brokers are more popular than the bank’s own branches (46% versus 41%) for originating home loans with brokers also securing a bigger average loan size of $308,000 compared with $251,000 through branches, mobile lenders and online sales.
ANZ  will pay an interim dividend of 73 cents.
</body></html>

No out of cycle rate cuts likely from ANZ as profits surge amid very healthy mortgage book

<html><body>
Mortgage lending growth remained at record low levels in March, according to RBA figures.
Housing credit increased by 0.4% over March following an increase of 0.4% over February.
Over the year to March, housing credit rose by 4.4% - the slowest annual pace of mortgage lending growth for RBA data going back to 1976.
Total credit provided to the private sector by financial intermediaries rose by 0.2% over March after increasing by 0.2% over February.
Over the year to March, total credit rose by 3.2%.
Other personal credit (personal loans, credit cards) rose by 0.1% over March after increasing by 0.1% over February. Over the year to March, other personal credit decreased by 0.1%.
Business credit was unchanged over March after decreasing by 0.2% over February. Over the year to March, business credit increased by 1.6%.
 
 
</body></html>

Mortgage lending growth remains subdued in March: RBA

<html><body>
Some 1.76 million tax payer individuals had an interest in a rental property in the 2010–11 income year.
It represented a slight gain on the 2009-2010 tax year when it was at 1.7 million individuals.
Most have just the one investment property.
<table style="width: 347px;" dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="7"><tbody>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="17">
Property interests
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="17">
2009–101
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="17">
2010–111
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="17%" height="7">
No.
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="50%" height="7">
No.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
1
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
1,239,959
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
1,284,852
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
2
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
307,514
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
318,295
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
3
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
92,834
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
96,991
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
4
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
33,501
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
34,967
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
5
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
14,141
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
14,555
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
6 or more
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
14,844
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
15,264
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
Total
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
1,702,793
</td>
<td valign="top" width="33%" height="7">
1,764,924
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source. ATO
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Still a nation of negative gearers: ATO puts investor numbers slightly up at 1.76 million

<html><body>
Mortgage market activity continues to trend upwards led by rises in Tasmania and Victoria, according to the latest RP Data Mortgage Index.
The index has been trending up since March on a seasonally adjusted basis and is a leading indicator of official home loan demand as measured by the ABS.
For the week to April 28, seasonally adjusted mortgage activity rose strongly in Tasmania (+13%), followed by Victoria (12.3%) and WA (11%) to be up 10.3% nationally.
<img height="255" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/rpdatamortgagesapril29one.gif" alt="rpdatamortgagesapril29one" style="font-size: 0.8em;">
 
<img height="200" width="470" src="/images/stories/2013/04/rpdatamortgagesapril29two.gif" alt="rpdatamortgagesapril29two">
RP Data calculates mortgage market activity by monitoring more than 100,000 mortgage activity events every month with the index showing an 88% correlation with the ABS housing finance data series when using the seasonally adjusted data.
The rise in mortgage market activity comes as lenders continue to cut their fixed-rate offering.
Yesterday <a target="_blank" href="/news">Citibank cut its two-year fixed-rate home loan</a> to 4.89% while last week <a target="_blank" href="/news">NAB cut its five-year fixed rate home loan</a> to a twenty-year-low of 5.55%.
These are the current six lowest five-year fixed-rate offerings in the market:
<table width="470" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
Provider
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Loan name
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
Rate
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
Comparison rate*
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
ING Direct
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Residential Fixed 5 yrs
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.39%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
5.63%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
Homeside Lending
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
HomePlus Fixed LoDoc 5 yrs (less than $2.5m)
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.55%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
5.72%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
NAB Choice Package
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.55%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
6.05%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Low Doc HLn Stand Fixed 5 yrs
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.65%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
6.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
HSBC
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Residential Fixed 5 yrs
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.69%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
6.18%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="134" valign="top">
Myrate
</td>
<td width="124" valign="top">
Residential Fixed 5 yrs
 
</td>
<td width="97" valign="top">
5.75%
</td>
<td width="116" valign="top">
5.71%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source RateCity.com.au/NAB
</body></html>

Cheapest five-year fixed-rate offerings as RP Data reports mortgage activity continuing to trend up

<html><body>
Lenders continue to entice conservative-minded borrowers with Citibank today cutting its two-year fixed mortgage plus home loan to 4.89%.
This makes it one of the sharpest fixed-rate home loans in the market currently.
The lowest two-year fixed-rate appears to be a rate of 4.79% offered by online lender iMortgage via its Fusion ProPack home loan, though the loan requires a hefty 25% deposit.
Loan-to-value (LVR) ratios are up to 90% for Citibank fixed-rate mortgages, according to its website.
Since February, Citibank has cut its two-year fixed-rate home loan by 30 basis points.
Belen Lopez-Denis, heading of mortgage marketing at Citibank Australia, said recent research showed we are now reaching the lower band of the RBA target’s interest rate “creating speculation for potential interest rate increases”.
Citibank is also offering a 60 day rate lock, guaranteeing a customer a low fixed-rate offer for 60 days after the application has been submitted.
</body></html>

Citibank cuts two-year fixed home loan to 4.89%

<html><body>
Expectations among economists are that the Reserve Bank will leave the cash rate unchanged at is monetary policy meeting next week.
Chief economists like Michael Blythe from the Commonwealth Bank expect the RBA to leave the cash rate unchanged till the middle of next year and this is also the median forecast of the most recent Bloomberg survey of 25 economists.
Borrowers not wanting to be tied down by a more restrictive fixed-rate home loan may qualify for a discounted variable rate home loan, either for the first 12 months of the loan (called a honeymoon loan) or for the life of the loan (called an ongoing discount loan).
According to Mortgage Choice March figures, ongoing discount home loans accounted for 36% of all loans arranged by Mortgage Choice brokers, with the product particularly appealing to borrowers in NSW/ACT and WA, where over 40% of borrowers chose this loan type.
Honeymoon loans accounted for just 3% of loans arranged by Mortgage Choice brokers.
A discounted home loan may have a deposit or loan size requirement, come with higher fees or only be available as part of a package offering.
And borrowers who take out a honeymoon loan must budget for a rise in their home loan repayments once the introductory period ends.
These are some of the lowest discount offerings of the major banks and non-bank lenders as of April 29:
Discount rate offerings:
<table style="width: 470px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Provider
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Loan name
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Minimum loan size
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Maximum LVR
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Annual fee
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">
Rate
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Loans.com.au
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Blackboard Special
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$50,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
80%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
4.99%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">UBank</td>
<td width="101" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">UHomeloan</td>
<td width="73" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">$100,000</td>
<td width="80" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">80%</td>
<td width="66" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">$0</td>
<td width="79" valign="top" style="text-align: center;">5.12%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Yellow Brick Road
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Empower Package Home Loan
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$100,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
80%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.15% for first year, then reverts to 5.49%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Commonwealth Bank
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
1 Year Guaranteed rate
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$10,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
80%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$8 per month
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.19% then reverts to “relevant variable rate”
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
iMortgage
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Fusion ProPack Discounted Variable Home Loan
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$30,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
95%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.24%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
HSBC
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Value Loan
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$100,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
80%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.25%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Family First Credit Union
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
12 month introductory loan
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$20,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
90%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.30% then reverts to 5.55%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Homeloans.com.au
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Ultra Plus 75
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$30,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
75%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$330
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.49%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
NAB
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Choice Package
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$500,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
Not disclosed online
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$395
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.53%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Westpac
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Premier Advantage Package + Choice transaction account
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$500,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
Not disclosed online
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$0
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.51%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
ANZ
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
Breakfree Home Loan Package
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$500,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
75%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$375
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.60%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="114" valign="top">
Commonwealth Bank
</td>
<td width="101" valign="top">
12 Month Discounted Variable Rate
 
</td>
<td width="73" valign="top">
$10,000
</td>
<td width="80" valign="top">
80%
</td>
<td width="66" valign="top">
$8 per month
</td>
<td width="79" valign="top">
5.70%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</body></html>

The 12 lowest discounted rates available for home borrowers as RBA likely to hold firm in May

<html><body>
The Reserve Bank may be swayed to cut the cash rate by a further 25 basis points at its June 4 monetary policy meeting, according to Australian Financial Review economic writer Alan Mitchell.
Mitchell basis this expectation on the lower than expected March inflation reading, the weaker Australian dollar and weak economic data coming out from China, the US and Australia.
“If there is no real improvement in the economic outlook in the next month or so, the RBA could be faced with a tough decision: turn the [easing] bias into a rate cut or risk weakening its effect on the foreign exchange market,” he wrote in the Saturday AFR.
Mitchell writes that the risk in cutting the cash rate to 2.75% - below the lowest cash rate setting since the onset of the GFC – would be making monetary policy too lose with the “more serious domestic risk” that low rates would overheat the property market.
But he says there are “no signs of the dreaded housing market-driven credit boom” and along with retail sales being “not particurlarly strong” despite recent recoveries, a slowdown in car sales, unemployment rising and a weak labour market in the US all make the argument for a rate cut “pretty attractive”.
Mitchell says uncertainty about where the US and Australian economies may yet show signs of improving makes waiting until June an attractive option for the RBA.
“The bank will have its own revised forecasts of the Australian economy in time for the May meeting.
And he says, if the RBA waits until June, it will get another month of global data plus the federal budget as well as update on investment intentions  from the March quarter business capital expenditure.
A small majority of economists <a href="/news">surveyed by Bloomberg last week</a> tipped the RBA to cut the cash rate in June with 13 out of 27 tipping a 25 basis point rate cut and one economist (Richard Gibb from Macquarie Group) tipping a cash rate setting of 2.5% with expectations of rate cuts in May and June. The remainder expect no change.</body></html>

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