In Episode 61 of the Investing Insights podcast, our hosts Victor Kumar and Steve Waters from Right Property Group along with special guest Sze Chuah from MLS Finance discuss the five absolute finance musts to protect and enhance your borrowing capacity :

7.30 - Welcome to special guest Sze Chuah, MLS Finance.

8.30 - Changeover from responsible lending to responsible borrowing and what specific changes are looking to be made.

9.50 - Buyer confidence is high, preapprovals are high so longer application times.

12.09 - Many investors are deemed complex so they go to a separate queue as opposed to a first home owner.

13.44- Every finance application is in effect a business proposal.

16.35 - Really important to understand the type of finance you are getting . By working in with property partners you can get a better outcome. E.g. having the insights of the lenders and close collaboration is more so today in this market.

18.20 - Product Selection – don’t be soley rate orientated. The best rate isn’t necessarily the best for you and your portfolio. Rates are important though as they drive serviceability and repayments.

20.25 - People are under the impression that if they have equity they can uses it. No longer is it a foregone conclusion. Post APRA and Royal Commission lenders are scrutinizing the purpose for the equity releases.

21.05 More solution base lending. Many more considerations other than the rate.

22.07 - Offset – a super handy facility. A bank account linked to the home loan with a balance that reduces your interest. Instead of putting money in a high interest account you are saving what the interest rate is that your are paying. One of the best products in the finance eco system. Gives us the ability to dump money in and to be liquid.

27.48 – Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) – 88% plus LMI sweet spot.

29.47 – reducing NON-DEDUCTIBLE DEBT. Minimizing credit cards, car loans, car leases etc as this affects serviceability. Investment debt is calculated more favourably.

32.20 Control the cash flow control the opportunity

33.01 a 60k car lease looking at about $1500per month approx taking around 300-400k of a mortgage – buy the car or buy a property. There are other options to car leases to maximise your borrowing capacity. You need to be tactical and methodical, what steps are you going to take today to enable to be in x position tomorrow.

37.36 REPAYMENT STRUCTURE from a property perspective with intent of a potential reno and flip needs to weigh up heavily with cash flow plan of the property must be considered – equity harvest etc,

39.56 Fixed / variable/ IO/ PI comes down to the plan for the property and also the banks policy / rues on for example harvesting equity

40.35 EQUITY HARVESTING and how it can benefit. Banks are deprioritizing those wishing to extract equity. Its about creating buffers and mitigation for the future. You have the money before you need it. Liquidity is such an essential part of any investment platform. Being ready, being opportunistic. Protecting your position

46.40 INCOME – Disposable income. Some lenders are good some not so good at different types of income eg with commissions. Brokers will understand the lenders products and policies and match what you are trying to achieve.

Income is also about expenditure. Expenditure is the easiest way to increase income. Review of rents, adjust interest rates and the combination may allow for increased borrowing capacity.

52.59 LENDER SELECTION –ties everything together. The right lender will give you the element of all of the above right product for right rates.

We hope you have enjoyed listening to this episode of the Investing Insights Podcast.

Do you have a question? email [email protected]

Book a blueprint session with us here- https://rightpropertygroup.com.au/blueprintsession/

For more information on how MLS Finance can assist you go to https://www.mlsfinance.com.au