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Navigating the 2025 Federal Budget: Key Changes for Homebuyers

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Navigating the 2025 Federal Budget: Key Changes for Homebuyers

The 2025 Federal Budget has introduced several initiatives aimed at making homeownership more achievable for Australians. Whether you’re a first home buyer or considering an investment property, these updates could directly impact your plans.

Expanded Home Guarantee Scheme From 1 July 2025, an additional 20,000 places will be available each year for first home buyers under the First Home Guarantee, Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, and Family Home Guarantee programs. These initiatives help eligible buyers purchase a home with as little as a 5% deposit without needing to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Increased Investment in Social and Affordable Housing The Federal Government will allocate $6 billion in new funding to support social and affordable housing through the Housing Australia Future Fund. This will help address housing shortages and could ease pressure on the broader property market.

Funding for Infrastructure and Urban Planning Over $11 billion will be invested into new housing and infrastructure programs, including urban planning reforms to improve supply and affordability. Increased housing supply could present opportunities for homebuyers and investors in growth areas.

Key Takeaways for Homebuyers

  • Greater opportunities for low-deposit loans.
  • Continued government focus on improving housing supply.
  • More affordable housing options could become available in key urban areas.

If you are planning to buy property in Sydney or invest in the Sydney market, understanding how these measures impact your borrowing options is critical.

What will be the economic effect of the Banking Royal Commission?

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We are already seeing the impact with individuals and company’s ability to access Bank loans becoming extremely difficult.

With the loan approval process requiring applicants to evidence the ability to service their borrowings at twice the actual interest rate, have the recent regulatory changes created a barrier for genuine borrowers.

Prudent lending principles are required, however, have the regulators gone too far, and will these actions have a flow-on effect for future economic growth?

Understand your individual position by speaking to a professional today.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Australia’s credit reporting system is changing. Are you prepared?

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A key component lenders use when determining whether you are approved for a loan and how much you can borrow is your credit report, which sets out your previous credit applications and any defaults on your payments

Australia is currently moving to a new system of credit reporting that will help reward people who pay off their debts on time.

Following industry-wide changes, your credit report will soon show a much more comprehensive picture of your credit health and your ability to pay your debts.

Consumers who have been diligent in making their repayments on time may be able to borrow more money and at a lower interest rate than before.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Will you be affected by The Hayne Royal Commission?

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Lenders have been tightening their lending controls and interest-only rates in response to regulatory pressure to lower record levels of household debt and boost prudential standards.

Ratings’ agency Standard and Poor’s is warning owner-occupiers are more likely than investors to struggle with the transition to principal and interest repayments, particularly for loans underwritten before 2015 when lending standards for interest-only were less strict.

If you have an Interest Only loan due for review it’s time to seek professional advice regarding your options.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Interest Rates – What will 2018 & 2019 bring?

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Most economists are forecasting that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will probably only make one rate rise (+25bp) to the cash rate by late 2018 while a smaller group of analysts expect interest rates to remain on hold well into 2019. Westpac’s chief economist Bill Evans has even gone as far as saying that he expects rates to remain at current levels well into 2020.

Stability from the RBA doesn’t always translate into stability for borrowers as many have already faced rising mortgage costs during the last 12 months, especially those with investment and interest-only loans.

Now’s the time to take stock and review your individual financial position.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

How prepared are you for your property purchase?

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Eighteen per cent of Australian bidders have failed to get pre-approved finance prior to attending an auction, a new study has revealed.

According to a recent YouGov Galaxy poll, nearly one in five adults in Australia failed to secure finance before buying at auction.

Given it takes time to seek and be granted pre-approval it is important to seek professional advice as early as possible.

Buyers need to determine how much they can borrow and gain certainty that they are being realistic with their expectations.

Pre-approval is an indication from a lender that they feel comfortable lending a set amount of money to a potential buyer. It puts the buyer ahead of the game and strengthens their position when negotiating a purchase.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Is your loan structured correctly?

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The Reserve Bank has left the official cash interest rate on hold at 1.5 per cent for the 20th month in a row.

It is “universally anticipated” that the RBA won’t move on rates in the immediate future.

Most economists only expect one rate rise this year and 10 out of 24 analysts expect rates to remain on hold into 2019, and potentially beyond.

It is important to remain fully informed, and understand your options, by reviewing your individual circumstances today.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Location, Location, Location

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Sydney has the nation’s most evenly distributed new apartment market – putting it at less risk of inner-city oversupply – according to the 2018 UDIA State of the Land Report.

Just over a fifth of new Sydney unit completions (apartments, townhouses and terraces) were within five kilometres of the city centre in 2017 compared with almost half of all Melbourne unit completions – the country’s fastest-growing apartment market – the report found.

A third of new Sydney units were within 5 to 10 kilometres of the CBD, 28 per cent of completions were 10 to 20 kilometres out and 18 per cent of completions were as far as 50 kilometres from the centre of town.

Obtaining industry best advice is essential prior to making any potential property investment decision.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Sydney’s next wave of change: $87bn of Infrastructure Projects

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Sydney will be a 30-minute city by 2056. The NSW government recently announced a 3-city plan.

The next 10 years will see a significant shift in the City. Sydney’s new Greater Sydney Commission is preparing Sydney for the next wave of change – the creation of three separate cities; the Eastern City – with Sydney CBD as its focus, the Central City with Parramatta as its focus, and the Western City with the Western Sydney Airport as its focus.

These cities will be fully functioning cities connected by major infrastructure projects by 2056.

Understanding of each of these infrastructure projects in Sydney and the key drivers for business and commerce in each of the three cities is key to understanding the future property investment options across the region.

Ensure you speak to a professional today regarding any potential property investment decision.

Carl Thompson – Commercial Lending Specialist, Strategic Investor Group

Coffee with Kiril – Episode 19: What is Airbnb doing to our Sydney property market?

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What is Airbnb doing to our Sydney property market?

Complete the feedback form here and let’s talk about how you can best take advantage of the property market.

To view other Coffee with Kiril episodes and other Strategic Investor Group videos – please visit our YouTube channel