Episode show notes

Welcome to your episode show notes. Here you’ll find:

• Show overview
• How to find guests and presenters 
• Guest bio

Show overview

Guest Interview – How to choose a design style for your home with Claudia Brdar from The Renovate Avenue

How to find guests and presenters 

Guest bio

Claudia and her husband Pete have renovated small properties right through to large scale projects. Several years ago they bought a run-down 1960’s weatherboard house (purchased for $460K) and ended up completing a major renovation ($75K), creating a beautiful sought after home … on a tight budget! They set the suburb record for a property price of $1.035 million (2017)!

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

A big goal for many people is to buy an investment property, however, it can also feel a bit out of reach like it’s just too big of a goal. Plus it can be overwhelming and confusing so you can end up feeling like this dream will never come true.

A lot of the time that’s just not true, with the right advice, guidance and a good solid strategy in place, it can be a reality for many people.

In this episode I’m chatting with Katie Marshall, the founder of Chicks and Mortar, author of ‘Chicks and Mortar – A Woman’s Guide to investing in property’. Katie is a Certified Property Investment Adviser with the Property Investment Association of Australia.

We spoke about how to overcome fear when it comes to buying your first investment property. Including how to overcome mindset blocks and how best to approach the fear of missing out.

Listen to the podcast episode below or read the detailed show notes (or both).

How to find guests and presenters

Guest bio

Katie Marshall is a Designer, Project Manager, Property Investment Advisor, Author and Founder of Chicks and Mortar. Chicks and Mortar helps empower women to make smarter, more profitable choices when it comes to property.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How to find guests and presenters

Guest bio

Lisa Richardson from tidy.af

Lisa Richardson is the co-founder of tidy.af.  She’s mum to four kids under 8, who were the biggest driving factor to start tidy.af.  After having four kids Lisa came to understand just how important it is to stay on top of things and be organised.  

The initial spark for tidy.af came through an epic miscommunication.  Like most good couples sometimes do, Lisa and her husband Jarrod, were having two separate conversations with one another, until at some point, the realisation was made that they were actually talking about two different things!  The fusion of the two ideas led to the creation of the tidy.af and its main product, the Drawerganiser.

Not content with just producing a functional product, Lisa was driven to find an eco-friendly way to build a drawer divider.  Using sustainable materials, namely bamboo and cork, is central to the business ethos.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How to find guests and presenters

Guest bio

Keryn Batsilas, Financial Adviser from your Life and Money Mattersdam

Keryn is a Financial Adviser specialising in working with Women, Couples and Families in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, helping them to live their best life now and in the future. Keryn has worked in financial services for over 15 years and 7 of those as a Financial Adviser. Keryn founded Your Life & Money Matters in 2018, to solve the money issues that Women, Couples and Families face.

Keryn strongly believes that building your financial foundations early in life will help you achieve financial freedom sooner, but financial advice is not a one size fits all service. Keryn works with clients to understand their goals and objectives for their life and then tailors a package and strategy to achieve those goals.

Anything Keryn talks about is of a general nature and not to be used as personal advice.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

• What the design phase of a landscaping project is
• How it works, from a practical perspective
• Why it’s so important

How to find guests and presenters 

Guest bios

Adam Marsal | Outdoor Society

Adam is an expert in the construction industry, with over 12 years’ experience creating hundreds of beautiful outdoor spaces, with vast experience in both hard and soft landscaping as well as pool and spa construction.

Growing up in Bayside Melbourne, Adam has always a keen eye for spaces influenced by water. He is extremely passionate about creating beautiful spaces that are awe inspiring.

Personally, Adam is heavily driven by personal growth, innovation and building relationships. He manages to instill these attributes throughout the culture of his own business, translating into stronger results for both his team and his clients.
With high expectations of himself, his strengths are in his attention to detail and the ability to create an exceptional high quality outdoor space his clients have always dreamed of.

Adam oversees every project from concept to completion, ensuring a turnkey, personalised solution, delivered on-time and within budget. He manages all communication and expectations himself to deliver a result that simply amazes his clients.

Chris Austin | Austin Landscape Design

Chris has fifteen years’ experience in the horticultural, construction and design industries, as well as having studied Sustainable Development at Murdoch University and Landscape Design at Swinburne University.

Austin Landscape Design is a Melbourne based landscape design service developing landscapes and gardens for residential and commercial projects.

Their team is passionate about creating exciting spaces that deliver in both their functionality and aesthetics. They also share a broader vision to reduce our ecological footprint by aligning ourselves with the values of environmental sustainability and using innovative materials and methods.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

Episode show notes

Welcome to your episode show notes. Here you’ll find:

• Show overview
• How to find guests and presenters 
• Guest bio

Show overview

You may have heard in the news that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) recently cut the official cash rate again. You also might be wondering what the RBA and the cash rate actually is and how you might be able to take advantage of the cut.

In this episode, I deliver a jargon-free explanation of:

• How the RBA works
• What the cash rate is
• Why the RBA cut the cash rate
• What to do if your bank hasn’t passed on the cut
• How the cash rate cut might impact the property market

Plus I give you the low down on what the cut means for you and how to take advantage of the cut.

Listen below or on your favourite podcast app.

Is it harder to get a home loan now? Podcast episode with Carl Violeta
https://violetafinance.com.au/is-it-harder-to-get-a-home-loan-now/

Sign-up for free monthly property market update
https://violeta-finance.ck.page/24570f5505

How to find the presenters

Follow the Dream Home Movement

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Follow Carl & Jo Violeta

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Guest bio

Jo’s the marketing manager for Violeta Finance, an award-winning mortgage brokerage she owns with her husband Carl. Jo also hosts the Dream Home Movement, a podcast about home improvement and property. 

She’s a coastal loving mum of two, gardening and renovating enthusiast and a complete and utter self confessed marketing and social media geek.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

Is it harder to borrow money for a home loan at the moment?

• Whether COVID-19 restrictions have made it harder to secure a home loan
• Whether banks are being stricter when they assess home loan applications
• How long it’s taking banks to assess and process loan applications
• What types of home loans and mortgages are harder to get approved
• How to make it easier for the bank to assess and process your home loan application

Have COVID-19 restrictions made it harder to secure a home loan?

If you’ve been financially impacted by COVID-19, then yes, it will likely be more difficult to secure a home loan at the moment.

People who work in industries severely financially impacted by COVID are finding it challenging to secure finance at the moment. Examples of impacted industries include (but aren’t limited to) retail, hospitality and aviation.

However, in general, there hasn’t been any stoppage of credit flow for borrowers who haven’t been financially impacted by COVID.

If your loan application is reliant on your overtime income, you may also find it challenging to get your home loan approved. Many banks won’t accept overtime income at the moment due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Banks are still lending money, but (depending on your circumstances) the process may be more involved than usual – keep reading, we’ll explain what we mean by ‘more involved’…

Are banks being more strict when they assess loan applications?

Some banks and lenders are going through home loan applications with a fine-tooth comb and are closely scrutinising living expenses.

Certain banks and lenders are forensically investigating bank statements. They’re going through your bank statements line by line to verify your living expenses and salary credits.

Depending on the bank you lodge your home loan application with, you may be asked for additional documentation, evidence or information during the assessment process, particularly if you’re self employed. The bank asks for this additional information so they can make sure your income is inline with what your income tax is suggesting.

Need help organising your home loan or mortgage refinance?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

Is it taking longer for banks to approve home loans?

Let’s talk about timelines. Some banks are taking longer than usual to assess and process home loan applications and mortgage refinances.

The good news is there are plenty of banks and lenders that are still super efficient, with fast turnaround times. An experienced Mortgage Broker has the inside scoop on which banks are speedy and which banks are slower.

Over the past few months, several lenders, including the big four banks, have reported delays in their turnaround times for loan applications.

For example, back in May (2020), ANZ has previously publicly acknowledged its shortcomings with its processing times increasing from an average of 10 business days in April to 22 business days in May.

COVID-19 related restrictions have slowed things down. Also, several banks are offering cashback deals and they can’t keep up with demand.

Which types of home loans or mortgages are harder to get approved?

Some types of home loans and mortgages are more involved, they may require more paperwork, documents and evidence and/or they may be more complex and tricky.

For example, a home loan application becomes harder when you ask for the bank’s lending policy to be flexible. In the mortgage industry, we call this ‘asking for an exception’.

An example of asking for an exception is if you’ve been self-employed for 12 months but the bank’s lending criteria requires the business to be established for two years. Asking for an exception can complicate the lending assessment. And there’s a good chance, the bank’s lending assessor may not grant the exceptions you’ve asked for.

We usually advise clients to lodge their application with the bank who’s lender criteria they meet. We prefer to avoid trying to ‘jam the deal’ with a bank with lending criteria that you don’t meet, even if they’re offering a lower interest rate.

Another example of asking for an exception is if the borrower is an entity  (for example a trust). Which means you’re purchasing a property through an entity. There’s a lot more paperwork involved for this kind of loan. You’ll need to provide more documentation to the bank when the borrower’s an entity than when the borrower is a ‘natural person’.

How can you make it easier for banks to assess and process your home loan application?

• Make sure you provide all the documents that the bank’s requested
• Don’t try to ‘jam the deal’. Find a bank and loan product who’s lending criteria you meet
• Work with an experienced Mortgage Broker. Banks change their lending criteria and policy regularly. An excellent Mortgage Broker know the banks’ lending policies inside and out, and they’re up-to-date with any changes, so they can match you with the right bank and loan product for your circumstances. They also know how to package your loan up and present it to the lender correctly

So, IS it harder to get a home loan now?

Well, it depends…

Banks are still lending money for home loans, mortgage refinances, property investment loans and car loans.

Whether or not it’s harder to get a loan at the moment depends on your circumstances, the type of loan your applying for and the bank your lodging your home loan application with.

Just be aware that you may be asked to provide additional documents and information and your loan may take longer than usual to be processed.

If you’d like to have a chat with Violeta Finance’s Mortgage Broker Carl, you can book a free phone consultation with him here.

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration. Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

• What Lenders Mortgage Insurance is
• The pros and cons of Lenders Mortgage Insurance
• How to avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance
• If you can’t avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance, how you can reduce it

Prefer to listen rather than read? All good we’ve got you covered. Check out this episode of our podcast the Dream Home Movement:

Episode show notes

Welcome to your episode show notes. Here you’ll find:

• Show overview
• How to find guests and presenters 
• Guest bio
• Episode Transcript

Show overview

Guest Interview – How to choose a design style for your home with Claudia Brdar from The Renovate Avenue

How to find guests and presenters 

Guest bio

Claudia and her husband Pete have renovated small properties right through to large scale projects. Several years ago they bought a run-down 1960’s weatherboard house (purchased for $460K) and ended up completing a major renovation ($75K), creating a beautiful sought after home … on a tight budget! They set the suburb record for a property price of $1.035 million (2017)!

Episode Transcript

This is an automated transcript, so it won’t be perfect

As featured on RPP FM our podcast and radio show the Dream Home Movement is your weekly dose of dream home inspiration.

Featuring clever hacks and tips from the very best dream home and lifestyle experts.; plus ‘real-life reno’ stories from Mornington Peninsula locals.

Listen live on 98.7 98.3 RPPFM or subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Need help organising finance to buy an investment property?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

During your chat, Carl will discuss your investment property goals and current circumstances and then explain your options.

Click here to book.

How to set goals for your home renovation with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How APRA’s changes could affect your home loan capacity

Pro home renovation tips with Claudia from The Renovate Avenue

How healthy finances can help create a healthier you

As parents, we know how hard it is to look after yourself sometimes. With sleep deprivation, breaking up fights between siblings and toilet training, it’s rare to sit down and drink a cup of coffee while it’s still warm, let alone take time out for some serious self-care.

Looking after tiny humans is fun, it’s rewarding, but it’s also hard-work and time-consuming, and sometimes, well it’s overwhelming.

We give so much of ourselves to others. But it’s important to pay attention to our own wellbeing as well. When we think of wellbeing, we traditionally think of activities like yoga, meditation and massages, but a surprising way to boost your emotional wellbeing is by creating a solid financial plan. Yep, getting your money and your budget sorted can make you feel amazing and reduce stress levels.

Research by the Financial Planning Standards Council found that people ‘who had sought financial advice reported significantly higher levels of both financial and emotional wellbeing than those who had no advice at all or simply limited advice’.

The research also found that having your finances in order can ‘instil confidence about reaching a wide spectrum of life goals’.

Also, having enough money to at least meet minimum needs is required for a baseline level of happiness.

Reducing unhealthy levels of stress can benefit our emotional and physical wellbeing. Financial issues are rated as one of the top causes of stress. Unfortunately, millions of Australians report experiencing financial stress.

The reasons for experiencing financial stress can vary. Some of the most common causes are debt, home loans, retirement, supporting the family and budgeting.

Although we, like many other parents, are still working towards finding balance and carving out time to look after our wellbeing, we do have the finance side of things sorted. And you can too!

Need to apply for a home loan?

Book your free chat with our property finance expert Carl Violeta.

Click here to book.

Here’s how to improve your finances and your wellbeing

#1 Create a realistic budget

Having a realistic budget in place can allow you to spend more money on the things that make you happiest. Budgeting empowers you to spend smarter. It’s important to feel good about yourself first, so you can help support others. Finding room in your budget to set aside a small amount each month for some self-care can help you achieve that.

#2 Save an emergency buffer

Having money tucked away in case of unexpected expenses, can help alleviate some of the distress and worry associated with emergencies. 

#3 Get your superannuation sorted

On average women live longer than men, however, most women will retire with significantly less superannuation (super) than men. The average super account balance for men is almost double the average balance for women. Set aside a few hours to review your super balances, find lost super and assess whether it’s appropriate to consolidate your balance and potentially plan to pay extra into your super.

#4 Don’t go it alone

Connection with others is a key to resilience, well-being and achieving goals.

We exercise together as a couple, one of the trainers at our gym recommended it. She explained that exercising with others improves motivation and can make working out more fun. The same principle can be applied to managing your finances and achieving money goals.

Managing your finances and budgeting can be perceived as boring, and if you’re trying to save you may need to make some sacrifices. Connecting with other like-minded parents, who are working towards similar goals can help. Facebook groups can be a great place to discuss money goals  and ideas with other parents. The members in our Facebook group the ‘Mindful Money Mummies’ keep each other accountable, share money saving tips and resources, encourage each other to reach our goals and even share the odd bargain when we find it.

#5 Give back

Once you have a solid financial plan and feel in control of your money, you might like to consider supporting charitable causes and giving to those in need. Giving creates a sense of meaning, a feeling of being connected to something greater than ourselves, which is an essential component of happiness and resilience.

If you are experiencing financial stress and/or hardship financial counselling could help. Financial Counselling Australia offers a free financial counselling phone line 1800 007 007

You might be interested in these resources:

How does a Guarantor Loan work?

How much deposit do you REALLY need for a home loan?

What is the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme?

Borrowing power calculator

Property buying costs calculator