We use cookies for security purposes, to improve your experience on our site and tailor content for you. Our Privacy Statement explains how we use cookies.
We get it. The idea of completing a home loan refinance form is pretty daunting. But thanks to some tempting rates, offers and simple online forms, many Australians are finding that the value of switching outweighs the time spent in applying. And we’re here to help guide you through it.
But what is “home loan refinance”? It’s replacing your home loan with a new one, whether you’re switching to a different lender or refinancing to a new product with your current one.
There are five main reasons borrowers might refinance to another lender:
It’s easier to go at your own pace, thanks to online applications. Let’s look at the six steps to switching.
It’s a good idea to do your research and figure out what you want from a home loan with us – our Home Loan Concierge is just a phone call away and will be able to answer all your pointy questions.
You may already have an idea of what you’re after by thinking through your objectives and financial situation: a lower interest rate; switching to a fixed rate or Interest Only repayments; better features; paying off your credit cards; and even freeing up your equity to invest in another place.
Or maybe you’re not sure and want some expert guidance. Our Home Loan Concierge will get to know you and present you with matching options designed to help you shave years off your loan term, save you interest and build equity in your home faster. Call our Home Loan Concierge on (03) 8664 0250.
First up, do the numbers to see if refinancing is worth your while. Will the money you save be more than any extra costs you’ll need to pay? Here’s what to look out for:
Compare interest rates and added value
The cost of leaving
If you decide to end your current home loan, there are some costs to be aware of.
You can get an idea of the fees your current lender will charge by checking the terms and conditions of your current home loan. The good news is, even if there are exit fees and break costs, you could still save in the long run if you switch into the right loan.
Refinancing your home loan is much simpler than applying for a new one from scratch, but there are a few things we’ll need before we can get your application rolling.
We will use this information to ensure you meet our credit criteria.
Once you’ve landed on the right home loan product, you can start the application process in your own time on mobile or desktop, with help along the way. Just apply online and follow the prompts.
We’ll need you to upload some things as part of your loan application, including your ID, two payslips and six months of existing home loan statements.
Once we’ve received your details and documents, we’ll start to process your application and check your credit score. As responsible lenders, we’ll talk to you about what you plan to do with your property. Then we’ll make sure your application meets our lending criteria.
If that stacks up, we’ll verify your documents and arrange to value your home. When valuing a property for refinance, we’ll look at its sales history and the current sales trends of similar places in the suburb and surrounding area. The condition of the property and any renovations or additions will also play into our valuation.
There are a couple of different processes we follow. We might be able to do this entirely online with the info you send us. We might send out a valuer to check your property and assess it in person or we might be able to do it virtually. The whole process rarely takes longer than a week or two – an online or “desktop” valuation can be even quicker.
Once we’re done, we’ll be in touch to let you know the outcome and details of the new loan we could offer you. If your refinance has been approved, we’ll issue you with a Letter of Offer. You’ll need to sign this and get it back to us – the sooner, the better.
When we’ve received that, we’ll be able to start the settlement process. If you apply for and qualify for FASTRefi, your whole refinance application could be wrapped up within a week. FASTRefi is a process that lets us complete your home loan refinance with “no attended settlement” – this means a refinance can occur within days, not weeks when compared to the standard refinance process.
Settlement is the day your existing mortgage is paid out.
We’ll do the heavy lifting for you.
Once this is done, congratulations! You’ve successfully switched and can enjoy the perks of being with Bank of Melbourne.
Switch your home loan to Bank of Melbourne and you could get $4K cashback^.
Refinancing your home loan has the potential to make you some hefty savings, it’s important to weigh up the costs involved.
Our Concierge will call you once you've submitted your application to help handle the rest of the process.
The Detail
Any recommendation made in this article does not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account. Read the terms and conditions before making a decision if the product is right for you. Subject to Bank of Melbourne's approval. Conditions, credit criteria, fees and charges apply, credit provided by Bank of Melbourne.
LVR stands for the initial loan to value ratio at loan approval. LVR is the amount of your loan compared to the Bank’s valuation of your property offered to secure your loan expressed as a percentage. Home loan rates for new loans are set based on the initial LVR and don’t change because of changes to the LVR during the life of the loan.
Advantage Package Terms & Conditions (PDF 143KB) apply. A $395 annual package fee applies and is payable from a Bank of Melbourne Complete Freedom transaction account. Before deciding to open a Bank of Melbourne Complete Freedom account, read the Terms & Conditions, and consider if the account’s right for you.