The biggest home loan repayment offers for May

The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the cash rate for the first time in more than a decade. So, with interest rates on the rise for home loans, getting the best deal on your mortgage has never been more important.

Repayment offers on home loans are one way first-time buyers and refinancers can make the process of getting a home loan more affordable in an era of higher rates.

But they don’t just come in the form of cash. Some lenders are willing to sweeten the deal with waived lender’s mortgage insurance – which can cost tens of thousands of dollars depending on the value of the property – as well as bonus Qantas loyalty points on sign-up.

Let’s explore the home loan cashback deals on offer for May 2022.

What deals are on offer this month?

As of May, 27 lenders are offering cashback home loan deals to eligible customers. These cash back offers range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the size of the home loan.

For example, Reduce Home Loans offers a massive $10,000 cash back to customers with $2 million loans. For a homeowner with a mortgage around $500,000, they are more likely to get approved for cash back offers up to $4,000.

The majority of these offers are for refinancers and can be provided as cash in your account, discount on your mortgage, or as a gift card.

Lender’s Mortgage Loan Insurance Reduction

What about first-time home buyers? Several lenders are also currently offering their customers reduced Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI), based on the size of your deposit (loan-to-value ratio).

Homebuyers who have a deposit of less than 20% of the value of the property will generally be charged IMT. This can run into tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the value of your property.

Removing this cost may be an option to reduce the financial stress of home ownership for first-time home buyers.

  • For St. George customers, The $1 LMI offer is available to eligible first-time home buyers with a 15% deposit, seeking a homeowner’s home loan and planning to repay principal and interest.
  • For BOQ customers, IMT’s $1 offer is available to homeowners and first-time home buyers planning to make principal and interest payments. Approval is limited to deposits as little as 15% on qualifying home loans worth up to $1 million.
  • For UBank customers, you may be able to get approved for a loan with a loan-to-value ratio (LVR) of just 85% without paying LMI.
  • Qantas loyalty points

You may be able to earn bonus Qantas frequent flyer points when you sign up for a home loan.

Macquarie Bank and Qudos Bank are currently offering a home loan sign-up deal that rewards borrowers with Qantas Points. These points may be available upon approval or released during the term of your loan. Plus, you won’t need to spend on qualifying purchases to earn these reward point bonuses.

Lender Qantas Frequent Flyer (QFF) Points Bonus Interest rate Comparison rate Offer
Macquarie Bank Basic Home Loan Flyer Up to 170,000 QFF points when you borrow $600,000 2.19% 2.19% 10,000 QFF points for every $100,000 loan taken out, 1,000 QFF points per month for the life of the loan, 25,000 QFF points on the third and fifth anniversary of your loan.
Qudos Bank Qantas Points Home Loan Up to 200,000 QFF points. 2.69% 2.69% 200,000 QFF points when you apply for a new Qantas Points home loan between 01/04/22 and 30/06/22 and pay by 30/09/22.

Source: RateCity.com.au. Data accurate as of 05/06/2022.

Keep in mind that there is more to a home loan than an offer you are offered and it is always important to compare interest rates, fees and features of a loan before applying.

For more information on whether any of the above loans suit your finances, consider using our home loan calculator to see how potential repayments might fit your budget.