Most Australians are only vaguely aware – or completely unaware – of the fact that credit-reporting agencies monitor their financial transactions.

While most Australians don’t give much thought to what’s on their credit report, the credit score that’s based on the contents of that report can have a significant impact on your financial choices. A modest score may mean you miss out on getting a mortgage or business loan.

While some may utilise their credit cards to assist in weathering the financial impacts of the pandemic, it is worth understanding how the financial decisions you’re making can affect your creditworthiness.

Know The Score

Australia’s credit reporting agencies make it as easy as possible for people to access their credit scores. You should be able to get a free copy of your consumer credit report by contacting the relevant credit-reporting agency or putting in a request via its website.

The two big players in the credit-reporting industry are Equifax and Experian, but Illion may also have a ‘consumer credit report’ on you. If you’re based in the Apple Isle, the Tasmanian Collection Service will be keeping an eye on whether you’re paying your bills.

Credit scores range from 1 to 1000 or 1200, depending on the agency rating it. If you discover your score is around 500 or better (again, depending on the agency) you can take comfort in the knowledge you’re of above-average creditworthiness. If your score is lower, there are some simple remedies.

Credit Repair 101

While credit reporting agencies guard the finer details of their credit-score calculations, they are transparent about what will cause people’s credit score to fall and what is required to rectify the situation.

Here’s what you need to do to boost your creditworthiness.

Sort Out Any Unpaid Bills

People often discover unpaid bills – the technical term is ‘delinquencies’ – on their credit report that they either didn’t know existed or which they assumed were ancient history and covered by a statute of limitations.

If you’ve been wrongly charged for something, act quickly to get the charge removed. Start by contacting the business that has mistakenly billed you. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, contact the credit reporting agency.

If you’ve been legitimately charged but didn’t get the bill or were unable to pay it, contact the creditor and negotiate repayment arrangements.

Stop Applying For Credit

In the current unpredictable environment, it can be comforting to know you have access to plentiful credit in an emergency. But credit agencies view multiple applications for credit in a short period of time as a sign of financial distress, so think twice about applying for another credit or store card. Even if you don’t ever get the card, the fact you’ve enquired about doing so is listed on your credit file.

On this point, it’s worth considering alternative options before applying for credit. While applying for JobKeeper or JobSeeker, or withdrawing money from your super account, may have other financial implications, your credit score won’t be impacted.

Don’t Put Off Paying Bills For Too Long

The Australian Banking Association recently announced that borrowers who have deferred bank loans will not have their credit rating affected until at least March 2021. That’s welcome news, but don’t assume all companies will be as generous.

Unless the business you owe money to has put in place other arrangements, if they send you a bill for $150 or more and you don’t pay it off within 60 days of the due date, your late or missing payment will stay on your credit report for the next five years

Get On The Front Foot

Even if you think you’ve been careful in your spending, debts can quickly mount up or get lost in the bottom of a drawer, so it’s worth getting into the habit of checking your credit score from time to time just to be sure.

This is particularly important if you are hoping to borrow money to buy a home, start a business, or for a major purchase. If you’d like advice about getting your finances back into shape and maximising your ability to access credit in the future, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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With Australia in a COVID-induced recession, residential property is not immune to falling economic activity. Yet housing prices are proving surprisingly resilient. 

Only months ago, economists were forecasting a housing price slump of 20 per cent or more. Now, most have revised their forecasts to price falls of between five and 10 per cent. 

The more optimistic predictions are due to Australia’s success at containing the coronavirus, the gradual lifting of restrictions and government stimulus aimed at keeping Australians in work. The most recent of these measures is the HomeBuilder package. 

Housing stimulus

The Morrison Government’s HomeBuilder package, announced on June 4, offers homebuyers a grant of $25,000 to build a new home worth less than $750,000. The grant can also be spent on renovations valued between $150,000 and $750,000 to an existing home valued at no more than $1.5 million. 

The scheme is limited to owner-occupiers (not investors) on incomes below $125,000 for singles and $200,000 for couples. The amount of money on offer is uncapped, but the government expects it to cost about $688 million for roughly 27,000 grants. 

To be eligible, renovators must sign a contract with a builder by the end of 2020. They will need to have plans drawn up, finance approved, and any building and development approvals secured. 

The package has been well-received by the housing industry, which hopes it will encourage buyers to bring forward purchases and support construction jobs. While critics argue the HomeBuilder package is too limited in scope and time to make a significant impact, it is more likely to support house prices than harm them. 

House prices marking time

According to CoreLogic, national home prices edged up 0.6 per cent in the three months to the end of May, at the height of the economic shutdown. Melbourne was the only market to lose ground during that period (-0.8 per cent) but all regions lost momentum. 

However, sales activity bounced back by an estimated 18.5 per cent in May after a drop of 33 per cent in April. The rise in sales coincided with an easing of social distancing restrictions, the arrival of JobKeeper payments in people’s pockets and growing consumer confidence. 

On an annual basis, national home values rose 8.3 per cent in the year to May with Perth (-2.1 per cent) and Darwin (-2.6 per cent) the only capital cities where prices are still lower than a year ago.

Rents and yields falling

Rents in every capital city except Perth fell in the two months to May. Falling rents are welcome news for renters, especially in cities like Hobart where a booming property market and the conversion of long-term rentals into short-term Airbnb lets had priced many out of the market. 

However, falling rents are not so good for property investors. Rental yields were 3.8 per cent nationally in May, although higher in regional areas (4.9 per cent) than capital cities (3.5 per cent). 

According to CoreLogic, there is a strong chance that rents will fall more than housing values, putting further pressure on rental yields, with yields in Sydney and Melbourne already at or near record lows.i 

Looking ahead

While the outlook for the property market is brighter than feared, there are still challenges ahead. 

One test will come after September when JobKeeper payments and loan repayment holidays are removed. There is a risk that mortgage arrears and distressed sales could increase at that time. While unemployment is now expected to peak at around 8 per cent, not 10 per cent as previously forecast, it is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels for at least two years.

On the positive side, interest rates remain at record lows and the OECD expects the Australian economy will bounce back by 4.1 per cent next year (if the coronavirus is kept under control), after a contraction of 5 per cent in 2020. This is a better economic performance than almost any other nation.

While the outlook for property is still uncertain, the stirrings of economic activity are encouraging. If you would like to discuss your property strategy in the light of current market developments, please get in touch on 02 9299 2292, or admin@moneyclip.com.au.

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