Australian small businesses are investing in their recovery through a surge in machinery purchases, IT and office technologies, and sustainable business assets, according to Commonwealth Bank (CBA) data. The CBA research shows small business financing for equipment and machinery is up 17% so far this financial year compared to last year. The research also shows 67% of businesses have budgeted for new equipment in the next 12 months, with 55% of those businesses specifically p

The chances of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifting the official cash rate on Tuesday just increased dramatically after figures showed the cost of living jumped 5.1% over the past year – the highest annual increase in more than 20 years. Economists around the country say the unexpectedly high jump in inflation means a May rate hike is now on the cards when the RBA board meets on Tuesday. “Expect the RBA to start hiking next week. First hike should be +0.4%,” said AMP c

First home buyers with a deposit of just 5% will soon have more purchasing power thanks to an increase in property price caps for the highly popular Home Guarantee Scheme. Most capital cities will get a $100,000 boost to their property price cap from July 1, while regional areas around the country will get a boost of between $50,000 and $150,000 (exact details below). It’s all part of the Home Guarantee Scheme (previously the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme), which allows you

It’s the hope that kills you. Just ask Carlton fans, NSW Blues supporters, Wallabies sufferers, and hopeful homebuyers who have fallen victim to underquoting. Obviously, you can’t change your footy team, but you can follow these tips to avoid the sketchy real estate practice. If it hasn’t happened to you, it’s probably happened to someone you know. You find a dream home that appears within your budget, you get your finance pre-approved, you get your hopes up, and … you get bl

Car enthusiasts around the nation got a bit of a shock this week when the Tesla Model 3 rocketed up the sales leaderboard to place third for all new vehicles sold in March. How did that happen? You might have seen an article by us a few weeks back about the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) almost tripling in the past year – from 6,900 in 2020 to 20,665 in 2021. Great growth for sure, but when you consider that 101,233 vehicles were sold across the country in March alone, you

It’s taking young couples roughly five years on average to save for a 20% home loan deposit, according to new research. Want to hear something crazy, though? We know how to quarter that timeframe… Real talk: it’s never been tougher to save up a deposit for your first home. In Sydney the average timeframe is 8+ years. In Melbourne 6.5 years. And most other places across the country, 4 to 6 years. That is unless you happen to know a finance professional who can help first home