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Finance Tips & Insights

Stay up to date with the latest property market news, rate changes, and finance strategies from the Mankin Finance team.

South-west Sydney property market
Property News

National Property Cooldown: What It Means for Buyers in Oran Park

Sydney is down 0.6% nationally per Cotality's August 2026 data, but the south-west growth corridor tells a different story. Vendors are negotiating, stock is sitting longer, and expected RBA cuts will improve borrowing capacity further.

25 August 2026 Read Full Article
Auction clearance rate 2026
Market Conditions

Auction Clearance Rates Below 50% and Vendor Discounts at a Two-Year High

The 4-week clearance rate has sat below 50% since June 2026. Vendor discounts hit 4.2% across capital cities. What this means for buyers and sellers right now.

25 Sep 2026 Read more →
Rental yields Australia 2026
Investment & Renting

Rental Yields Hit Their Highest Level Since 2019 as Rents Rise and Home Values Fall

National gross rental yields reached 3.8% in August 2026 - the highest since September 2019. Darwin leads at 6.3%. What the yield recovery means for investors.

23 Sep 2026 Read more →
Darwin property market record high 2026
Market Update

Darwin Hits a Record High as Regional Markets Consistently Beat the Capitals in 2026

Darwin is the only capital at a record high (+14.6% annual). Regional WA is up 16.7%, Regional SA up 11.4%. The regional outperformance story explained.

21 Sep 2026 Read more →
Australian property market September 2026
Market Update

Australia's Property Downturn Deepens: What the Cotality September 2026 Report Shows

National dwelling values fell 3.1% over the quarter and are now up just 2.7% over the year. A full breakdown of every capital city and region.

19 Sep 2026 Read more →
Michael Mankin Australian Mortgage Awards 2026
Industry Recognition

Michael Mankin Named Excellence Awardee in Two Categories at the 2026 Australian Mortgage Awards

Broker of the Year – Productivity and Broker of the Year – Specialist Lending. Two shortlists, two different disciplines, one practice.

8 Sep 2026 Read more →
Construction loan progress payments NSW
Construction Loans

Construction Loans in NSW: Progress Payments, Fixed Price Contracts, and What Lenders Actually Check

Building a new home? Here is how the 5-stage progress payment schedule works — and what lenders check before each draw.

15 Oct 2025 Read more →
Medico loan doctor no LMI Australia
Professional Loans

How Doctors, Dentists, and Other Health Professionals Can Buy With a 5% Deposit and No LMI

Eligible health professionals can save $15,000–$20,000 by avoiding LMI entirely. Here is how medico loan policies work.

12 Nov 2025 Read more →
First home buyer grants NSW 2026
First Home Buyers

First Home Buyer Grants and Schemes in NSW: What You Actually Get in 2026

Four overlapping support mechanisms — the First Home Guarantee, FHOG, stamp duty exemptions, and FHSS. How they interact and what you qualify for.

17 Feb 2026 Read more →
Offset account vs redraw Australia tax
Loan Strategy

Offset Account vs Redraw: The Difference That Actually Matters for Your Tax Bill

Getting this structure wrong can cost you your interest deduction on an investment loan. Here is the ATO's position and how to stay on the right side of it.

24 Mar 2026 Read more →
LMI waiver professionals NSW
Professional Loans

How to Buy With Less Than 20% Deposit and Pay No LMI: The Professional Waiver Explained

LMI can add $16,000–$25,000 to the cost of buying with a small deposit. Here is how accountants, lawyers, and engineers can have it waived entirely.

8 Dec 2025 Read more →
Borrowing power serviceability buffer 2026
Borrowing & Approval

Why Your Borrowing Power Is Lower Than You Think: The 3% Serviceability Buffer Explained

A $120,000 income borrower loses roughly $140,000 in borrowing power because of APRA's serviceability buffer. Here is what drives it and how to work around it legally.

14 Apr 2026 Read more →
Interest only home loan Australia
Loan Strategy

Interest-Only Home Loans in Australia: When They Make Sense and When They Don't

After a 5-year IO period, repayments on a $700k loan jump 33%. For investors there's a case. For owner-occupiers, usually there isn't.

19 May 2026 Read more →
Fixed vs variable rate home loan 2026
Interest Rates

Fixed vs Variable Rate Home Loans in 2026: How to Choose After the RBA's Rate Cuts

The RBA has cut. Fixed rates have already priced in further cuts. Here is the honest framework for deciding whether to fix, stay variable, or split.

9 Jun 2026 Read more →
Melbourne property market 2026
Market Update — Victoria

Melbourne Property Market August 2026: Values Down for the 16th Consecutive Month

Down 0.7% in August and 5.8% year-on-year — Melbourne's correction is now the longest running of any Australian capital. Here is what the Cotality data shows.

9 Sep 2026 Read more →
Bathla Group developer collapse NSW 2026
Property News

Bathla Group's $3.4 Billion Collapse: What It Means for Off-the-Plan Buyers, Tradies, and the NSW Housing Market

One of NSW's largest apartment developers has gone under with "literally no cash." Here is what deposit holders, subcontractors, and future buyers need to know.

10 Sep 2026 Read more →
Brisbane property market 2026
Market Update — Queensland

Brisbane Property Market August 2026: Growth Slows but Queensland Holds Better Than Most

Down 0.4% in August but still up 3% year-on-year — the best annual result of any capital city. Here is what is holding Queensland up as other markets fall.

11 Sep 2026 Read more →
Jacinta Allan resignation Victorian Premier
Politics & Property

Jacinta Allan's Resignation as Victorian Premier: What It Means for Victoria's Property Market and Housing Policy

CFMEU allegations, land tax expansion, and plummeting polls. Here is the property context behind the fall of Victoria's first female premier.

12 Sep 2026 Read more →
Sydney property market 2026
Market Update — NSW

Sydney Property Market August 2026: Fourth Month of Falls as Median Drops Below $1.09 Million

Down 0.6% in August and 4.2% year-on-year. Here is how different Sydney segments are performing — and what it means for buyers in the Macarthur region.

13 Sep 2026 Read more →
Ben Carroll Royal Commission Victoria Big Build
Politics & Property

Ben Carroll's Royal Commission Into Victoria's Big Build: What It Will Investigate and Why It Matters for Property

Cost overruns in the tens of billions, CFMEU criminal infiltration allegations, and a state debt pile that is reshaping investor calculus. Here is what the inquiry means.

14 Sep 2026 Read more →
Canberra ACT property market 2026
Market Update — ACT

Canberra Property Market August 2026: Public Service Uncertainty Weighs on Buyer Confidence

Down 0.5% in August and 3.1% year-on-year. Federal budget discussions and unit oversupply in Belconnen and Woden are keeping Canberra buyers cautious.

15 Sep 2026 Read more →
Hobart Tasmania property market 2026
Market Update — Tasmania

Hobart Property Market August 2026: Steepest Monthly Fall of Any Capital as the Correction Deepens

Down 0.8% in August — the largest monthly fall of any Australian capital — and 6.1% year-on-year. The post-COVID sea change boom has fully unwound.

17 Sep 2026 Read more →
Mortgage broker market share record 2026
Industry Data

Mortgage Brokers Now Write 81.6% of All Australian Home Loans

MFAA data for the June 2026 quarter confirms a new record — up from 53.9% just eight years ago. Here is what's behind the shift.

4 September 2026 Read more →
Perth property market
Market Data

Perth Property Market Turns Negative in August 2026

After two years of extraordinary growth, Perth has recorded its first monthly decline in dwelling values. Cotality's August 2026 data marks a turning point.

14 Aug 2026 Read More
Darwin Adelaide property
Property News

Darwin and Adelaide: The Last Two Positive Property Markets

As every other capital city records monthly declines, Darwin and Adelaide are the only markets still in positive territory. Here is what that means for buyers and investors.

19 Aug 2026 Read More
South west Sydney buyers
Property News

National Property Cooldown: What It Means for Buyers in Oran Park

Sydney is down 0.6% nationally, but the south-west growth corridor tells a different story. Here is what the August 2026 data means if you are buying in Camden LGA right now.

25 Aug 2026 Read More
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Interest Rates

Westpac Brings Forward Rate Cut Forecast

Westpac has revised its forecast for RBA monetary policy, now predicting rate cuts could begin sooner than expected following fresh inflation data.

January 28, 2025 Read More
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Property Market

Australian Property Prices Decline for First Time in 2 Years

December 2024 marked the first decline in national home values in nearly two years, with CoreLogic reporting a 0.1% drop. What this means for buyers and investors.

January 2, 2025 Read More
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Lifestyle

Top 10 Budget-Friendly Places to Live in Australia

Australia offers many hidden gems where you can stretch your dollar further without compromising on lifestyle. Here are the top 10 most affordable locations.

December 23, 2024 Read More
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Awards

2024 Australian Broking Awards: Rising Star of the Year

Michael Mankin of Mankin Finance wins Rising Star of the Year at the 2024 Australian Broking Awards, recognising exceptional growth and client outcomes.

August 30, 2024 Read More
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Property Market

Cooling Trends in Australian Capital Cities

A market update on property trends in Australia's capital cities as of August 2024, with declining values in several major markets.

August 17, 2024 Read More
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