FEAR & GREED | Business News Q+A: Getting bang for your buck on your home loan
Nov 13, 2025
Annie Harrison, Head of Direct Lending at UBank, shares insights on navigating the booming Australian housing market. She discusses what lenders assess when approving loans, emphasizing the importance of honesty and partnership. Annie provides tips on choosing the right loan products and government schemes, including UBank's 10% deposit option. She tackles the concept of lenders mortgage insurance and suggests broader buying strategies if local prices soar. Lastly, they explore how homeownership can be a key to wealth-building and financial diversification.
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Affordability Is The Lender's North Star
- Lenders prioritise verifying that borrowers can afford a loan over selling products or rates.
- They assess income stability, assets, liabilities, family size and everyday spending to judge affordability.
Try To Trick The Bank? It Backfires
- Sean admitted he tried to mislead the bank on his first home loan and quickly learned honesty pays.
- Annie emphasised lenders want to partner with honest customers to avoid putting them in unaffordable loans.
Get A Finance Partner Early
- Find a good lender or broker and explain your goals before choosing a loan product.
- Ask about product mix, fixed versus variable rates and whether you intend to invest or owner-occupy first.