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We start by reviewing your current loan — interest rate, fees, features, and remaining term — alongside your financial goals. This gives us a clear benchmark to beat and helps us understand what matters most to you.
Our services
Refinancing
Unlock a better deal on your home loan. We compare hundreds of options to lower your repayments, consolidate debt, or access the equity you have worked hard to build.
Why it matters
Is Your Home Loan Still Working for You?
If you settled your mortgage more than a year or two ago, there is a good chance you are paying more than you need to. Lenders regularly roll loyal customers onto higher variable rates while reserving their sharpest pricing for new borrowers. Refinancing is simply the process of replacing your current loan with a better one — whether that is with a new lender or by renegotiating with the one you already have.
There are many reasons Australian homeowners choose to refinance. You might want to secure a lower interest rate and reduce your monthly repayments, consolidate personal loans, credit cards, or car finance into a single, lower-rate facility, or access the equity in your property to fund renovations, invest, or cover major life expenses.
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At Financial Elements, we believe refinancing should be about more than just chasing a headline rate. Our brokers assess the full picture — comparison rates, ongoing fees, offset and redraw features, and how APRA serviceability buffers affect your borrowing capacity — so you can make an informed decision with confidence.
We do the heavy lifting: reviewing your current loan, analysing your financial goals, and presenting you with a shortlist of genuinely better options from our panel of over 40 lenders. Whether you are looking to save thousands over the life of your loan or restructure for greater flexibility, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Ready to find out what you could save? Talk to an expert today — obligation-free.
Your adviser
Joshua Halls Finance Consultant
$5,400
Average annual savings for our refinancing clients
0
+
Lenders on our panel compared for every client
0
%
Of refinance applications approved at first submission
2–4 wks
Weeks typical settlement
Is this you?
This is you if…
- You've been on the same rate for 2+ years without checking the market
- Your fixed-rate term expires in the next 3–6 months
- You want to consolidate debts or release equity without selling
The maths of moving
What refinancing actually changes.
Illustrative example — $600,000 owing, 25 years remaining on the loan.
Where you are
Rate
6.60%
Monthly repayment
$4,090
Total interest, 25 yrs remaining
$627,000
After refinancing
Rate
5.75%
Monthly repayment
$3,775
Total interest, 25 yrs remaining
$532,500
$315/mo
$94,500 over the loan
What it costs to move
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Fixed-rate break fee
If you're on a fixed rate, leaving early usually means an economic break cost — the lender's estimate of the interest they lose by letting you go. It moves with wholesale rates, so ask your current lender for a written estimate before you set a date.
-
Discharge & registration fees
Discharging your current loan and registering the new one typically costs a few hundred dollars in lender and government fees — small next to the savings above, but worth budgeting for on settlement day.
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When breaking still pays off
The comparison that matters: the interest you'd save over the rest of your term, weighed against the combined break and discharge costs. An adviser can run both numbers on your exact loan before you commit.
Figures are an illustrative example only, not a quote — your rate and savings depend on your loan, lender, and circumstances.
The process
How It Works
5 steps
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Our brokers compare options across 40-plus lenders, factoring in comparison rates, break costs on any existing fixed-rate period, discharge fees, and potential cashback offers. We present a shortlist tailored to your situation, not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
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Once you have chosen the right option, we prepare and lodge your application — handling all the paperwork, lender queries, and valuation coordination. We keep you informed at every stage so there are no surprises.
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Your new lender issues formal approval and loan documents. We walk you through the offer in plain language, ensuring you understand the rate, fees, and conditions before you sign.
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The new lender pays out your old loan and your refinance is complete — often within two to four weeks. We confirm everything has settled correctly and set a reminder to review your rate annually.
Why Choose This Service
Lower Repayments
Even a small rate reduction can save you tens of thousands over the life of your loan. We negotiate competitive rates and compare true comparison rates — not just the advertised headline — so you know exactly what you are paying.
Access Your Equity
Your property may have grown in value since you purchased it. Refinancing lets you tap into that equity for renovations, an investment property deposit, education costs, or other major goals — without selling your home.
Debt Consolidation
Roll high-interest credit cards, personal loans, and car finance into your home loan at a fraction of the rate. One repayment, one due date, and significantly less interest — giving you a clear path to becoming debt-free sooner.
Better Loan Features
Offset accounts, flexible redraw, split fixed-and-variable structures, and the ability to make extra repayments without penalty. We match you with loan features that genuinely suit how you manage your money.
98 %
Of refinance applications approved at first submission
2–4 wks
Weeks typical settlement
Start the conversation
Ready to Get Started?
Fill in the form below and one of our advisers will be in touch within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Refinancing costs vary but typically include a discharge fee from your current lender (usually $150–$400), government mortgage registration and deregistration fees (which differ by state), and potentially a valuation fee charged by the new lender. Many lenders waive application and valuation fees for refinancers, and some offer cashback incentives of $2,000–$4,000 that can more than offset the switching costs.
We calculate the total cost-to-switch upfront so you can see whether the long-term savings justify the move. In most cases, borrowers recoup their costs within the first few months of a lower rate.
If you are currently on a fixed-rate loan, your lender may charge break costs (also called early termination fees) if you refinance before the fixed period ends. These costs can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands, depending on the remaining term, your loan balance, and how wholesale interest rates have moved since you locked in.
We always request an estimate of break costs from your current lender before recommending a switch. In some cases, it makes sense to wait until the fixed period expires. In others, the savings from a lower rate still outweigh the break fee — we crunch the numbers so you can decide with full visibility.
There is no single perfect time, but common triggers include:
- Your fixed-rate period is about to expire and you want to avoid rolling onto a higher variable rate.
- Interest rates have dropped since you took out your loan.
- Your property has increased in value, improving your loan-to-value ratio (LVR) and opening access to better rates.
- Your financial situation has changed — higher income, reduced debt, or new goals like renovating or investing.
As a rule of thumb, if you can reduce your rate by 0.25% or more and the switching costs are manageable, it is worth exploring. We recommend reviewing your loan at least once a year — and we make that easy with our ongoing rate-monitoring service.
Most lenders prefer you to have at least 20% equity in your property (an LVR of 80% or less). This gives you access to the widest range of products and avoids the cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
However, refinancing with less than 20% equity is still possible. Some lenders accept LVRs up to 90% or even 95%, though you may incur LMI or face a slightly higher interest rate. If you are close to the 80% threshold, we can help you explore options such as making a lump-sum payment to bring your LVR down, or identifying lenders with more flexible equity requirements.
Not sure where you stand? Our free loan health check includes a property value estimate so you know your equity position before we proceed.
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Book a complimentary Lending Strategy Session. We'll spend ninety minutes on your goals, your structure, and what good actually looks like for your decade.