Case Study: Sharon
We're interviewing some of our amazing loans.com.au customers to get to know their home and car-buying stories.
We spoke with Sharon, based in Canberra, about her property experience, challenges, and how she overcame them.
Background
My property journey has a twist. Initially, while living in a 1-bedroom apartment, I decided to buy another apartment as an investment property on a budget of $450,000. Despite my best efforts, it was taking ages to find the right place. During this time my partner and I learnt our family was going to expand in coming years, so we decided to change tack. My 1-bedroom apartment would become the investment, leaving us free to focus on finding a new family home, this time, on a budget of $700,000.
The whole journey took us over 2.5 years. It was overwhelming, compounded by the challenge of my ever-changing criteria for finding the right property. Thankfully, I had a dedicated loans.com.au specialist working with me the whole time, he made it easy, and eventually I found a beautiful 4-bedroom home with a big backyard for our family.
Challenges
- Searching for a good investment property can be difficult and take longer than you think. Don’t give up, and don’t comprise your criteria too much
- Finding a lender who actually cares is hard. My mortgage needs kept changing because of difficult market conditions, so I needed someone who cared enough to stay with me the whole time
- Negotiating a property deal is hard. It can be difficult to find good advice about what to do. Talk with everyone. Lenders like loans.com.au have very knowledgeable people ready to help
“I love how loans.com.au gets back to me so quickly, every time.”
Solutions
- Don’t be afraid to walk away if the investment property isn’t right. That just means it wasn't meant to be, but there will be others. The right property will show up
- Buying property is a massive life experience. Surround yourself with experts. Work with experienced professionals who understand real life. Get organised, do your research and get on the phone
- To get personalised support, find a lender who offers real care and great service, like a local call centre. Have the right people in your corner. It will help you make good decisions
How was your loans.com.au experience?
We bid on many places, changing our finances regularly, but no matter what I asked of our loans.com.au specialist, he was just amazing each time. When I contacted him with questions, he was understanding, accommodating and patient. When I was silent, he frequently checked on me, offering practical insights and information. It felt reassuring to speak with him. He’d always have great advice, especially when I was making an offer on a place. That was a real positive for me. While it was hard to find something we loved, it was good that at least the mortgage wasn't stressful. That's why I'm such an advocate of loans.com.au, and why I've been recommending it to my family and friends ever since.
loans.com.au customer?
If you’re a loans.com.au customer and would like to be featured, we’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at community@loans.com.au and we’ll get in touch.
"I started exploring my options, first with the major banks. I wasn’t happy. Then I found you guys. You were simple and easy to deal with, had the right products, and a real good rate."
loans.com.au made the whole process so simple. Dealing with you online and by phone made everything super easy.
"I had many questions, so I really appreciated being able to always talk with someone, whether online, by email, in the onTrack application processing portal or on the phone. You were always there for me."
It was never a hassle, never a problem, he always had the right answers and just made it so, so easy. It was a good experience and then I put it through. Got the approval done. Got a great rate.