In a world where you can settle most financial matters online, why is there still so much leg work involved in securing a home loan?

When it comes to your mortgage, chances are you’ll spend hours researching, travelling to and from banks, and meeting with people who want to sell you a product that’s right for you… and them.

As technology advances and many of our cumbersome traditional services undergo a digital makeover, people expect the same in their financial services.

“People always want more choice, lower prices and faster turn-around times, and that’s across every product category in the world, including home loans,” explains founder of online mortgage broking company, uno, Vincent Turner. 

Your best home loan deal could be right at your fingertips. Picture: Getty

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Turner argues that online mortgage brokers like uno not only provide quicker, on-demand customer service, but also have the scope to get you a better deal for you by showing you more options.

“If you do see a bank you’re only going to get products from that bank. It can be convenient if you’re already with that bank, but it’s still quite limited. They’re never going to give you the reach of a broker. Having said that, most people don’t know that, on average, brokers send 75% of their business to three banks. If you can’t see the screen that your broker sees, you’re not going to be sure that you’re getting the full range of options,” he explains, adding that uno works with over 20 lenders.

So what’s your alternative?

Online brokers like uno are using technology to give you the tools to review a broader range of loan options that are personalised to your individual situation. And they’re taking the service you would expect from a traditional broker and offering it via phone, email, text and chat – even on weekends and evenings. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to choose a home loan, without your tush leaving the couch.

Step 1: Reviewing your options

If you’re looking to buy property, Turner recommends sussing out your options and securing financing well before making an offer.

While scrolling property online, why not check out suitable home loans too? Picture: Kate Hunter

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When starting the process online, you’ll be asked to answer questions pertaining to your loan needs and individual situation: Are you looking for an investment property or a new home? How much is the property you want to buy? How much can you afford to borrow? How much have you saved for your deposit? Do you want an interest-only loan, or principal and interest?

uno’s platform will use this information to narrow down thousands of options to a handful tailored to your individual situation and needs. 

Step 2: Finding the one

After Step One, you should have a suite of options catered to your needs. But how do you know which option is the right one for you?

At this point, it’s useful to get some guidance from a Home Loan Adviser via online chat, email, phone call, or even text.

However, without further information about your finances, it’s impossible to know which loans you’ll be eligible for. So, Step Two is providing more detailed information to your adviser, particularly relating to your employment, income, marital status, and dependents.

During this process, Turner says you’ll need to provide details on your finances and be prepared with some documents so that your online broker can verify your information and recommend the best loan for you. Most people should have these ready:

• Three to six months of bank statements
• Valid ID (a driver’s licence will do)
• Your last two pay slips to verify your income

“uno has the lender rules built in, and it knocks out loans that aren’t right for you,” Turner explains. “Based on this shortlist, our advisers can then say ‘here are the options that are suitable for you, but here’s who we recommend and why’.”

Step 3: Applying for your loan

So, just how DIY is the online home loan application process? Does it spell extra grunt work from your end?

Turner explains: “uno has automated a lot of the paperwork involved with home loans, and we work with lenders that offer convenient options such as ZipID, where you have your identity verified without leaving your home.”

Why should anybody decide on your home loan, except you? Picture: Getty

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While not all banks are on board with ZipID, if you do happen to pick one of these institutions, Turner assures an ID check should be your only face-to-face step. Otherwise, you can complete the process from the comfort of your living room, right through to settlement, with as much or little help as you need.

Step 4: Seeing it through

The beauty of technology is that it makes it easier to keep track of when a home loan needs checking on.

“Once it’s all settled, we check it gets set up correctly and then we continue to monitor your loan and make sure you’re being looked after,” Turner says.

“Every three to six months after the first year of the loan, you should consider refinancing so you know what your loan is, what your interest rate is and what your property is worth,” Turner advises. “Then you can use that to work out if you are getting a decent rate or not; and if you aren’t, come to us and say ‘here’s my situation’. We can very quickly say whether you could save a reasonable amount of money.”

This article was originally published on
30 Jul 2018 at 10:02am
but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.

The office sector has been through the wringer. The pandemic sent workers home just as a glut of gleaming new stock hit our CBDs, leaving city landlords scrambling.

Since then, the ‘flight to quality’ has been well-documented, and CBDs may no longer offer a balance of price and amenity for some businesses according to REA senior economist Anne Flaherty.

“We’re recovering from a pretty unusual period in history, where demand for office space decreased overnight while new supply to our capital cities surged,” she said.

Sydney Metro West’s Burwood North precinct will have thousands of new homes and jobs by 2032, building up the inner west city as a major transport hub. Picture: Supplied

While Ray White research found office absorption rates are at their strongest levels since 2018, supply in the CBDs still outstrips demand.

National net absorption hit 365,883 sqm in the 12 months to January 2026, but 411,561 sqm came online, pushing total vacancy to 15.9% from 15.1% just six months prior, which “will take years to absorb” according to Ray White’s research team.

To draw people back, businesses have been chasing top-shelf spaces with sleek fitouts, wellness centres, cafes and end-of-trip facilities – and finding far better value on the city fringe. Areas like Parramatta in Sydney and Cremorne in Melbourne are pulling tenants from the traditional city core.

So what’s next for our CBDs? Are they fading into ghost towns, or simply evolving as energy and investment shift to the edge?

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Pros of CBD-adjacent hubs

Ms Flaherty said when new office supply is absorbed over the next decade, fringe business districts should perform quite well.

“While CBDs are packed with A-grade towers, fringe suburbs can offer newer, high-quality spaces at lower rents. If a business can stay near the city but pay less, that’s really attractive,” she said.

She also said with Sydney and Melbourne spreading further out, it makes sense for jobs to follow people, provided the precincts are well-accessed by public transport.

REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty.

Western Sydney’s Parramatta is a prime example, said Peter Vines, managing director of Ray White Commercial Western Sydney.

“For A-grade in the city, you might pay $1,500 per metre; in Parramatta, $650 — plus you can secure generous incentives,” she said.

The new light rail and metro links are only boosting Parramatta’s appeal, while fellow office precinct Chatswood is now just eight minutes from Sydney’s CBD.

But price and transport isn’t everything; good amenities are essential.

“People want to feel excited to go to work so you need great cafes, childcare, gyms, after-hours spots — and you don’t need to go into the city for that anymore, Mr Vines said.

Ray White Commercial’s Peter Vines. Picture: Supplied

Data from merchant terminal provider Square supports the shift: 40% of Australians now visit the CBD less than once a month, and almost one in five avoid it altogether.

In Sydney, Surry Hills on the CBD fringe is booming, with tech firms drawn to its relaxed, creative energy.

“The area feels alternative and relaxed, and the places have character; not everybody wants to be in a skyscraper in the city,” Mr Vines said.

In Melbourne, Cremorne’s dense cluster of startups has earned it the nickname ‘Silicon Yarra’.

“Being among similar industries is a real advantage,” Ms Flaherty said. “And easier parking than CBDs can make a big difference for staff.”

Knight Frank chief economist Ben Burston. Picture: Supplied

Pros of the traditional CBD

While moving out of the CBD can make life easier for some employees, it can make it harder for others, Ms Flaherty said.

“Some fringe hubs are close to where executives live – Cremorne, for example, is easy from Toorak or South Yarra. But for staff on the opposite side of the city, that can mean a long commute via the CBD.

“Traditional city centres tend to be convenient for the majority, so moving elsewhere can shrink your talent pool.”

And while the outskirts may offer cheaper rent, that’s not universal, she added.

“In Melbourne’s CBD, around 19% of office space sits vacant at the moment, so tenants can negotiate attractive lease terms. Sydney’s vacancy rate is also high, giving tenants the power.”

Knight Frank chief economist Ben Burston agrees the CBD is far from finished. He said strong demand for prime-grade space and a limited supply pipeline are helping city centres lead the national recovery.

Melbourne ­office yields have recorded the largest correction of any capital city. Picture: Jason Edwards

Knight Frank data found net rents have climbed 11% year-on-year in Brisbane and Adelaide, 7% in Sydney and 4% in Melbourne.

“Sydney’s CBD has been a bellwether for the health of the wider office market, and to date the recovery has been strongest in the core CBD precinct. Melbourne has witnessed a similar trend.”

Investment opportunities

CBRE has dubbed 2026 ‘the year of the office for investors’, thanks to limited new supply, rising rents and yields that appear to have bottomed – with some even starting to tighten.

In Parramatta, Ray White Commercial reports a vacancy rate of 22.1%, largely due to newly refurbished stock returning to the market, yet tenant demand remains solid. Mr Vines said prime yields in western Sydney held firm at 8% during 2025.

Meanwhile, PropTrack’s yields report for Q1 2026 shows office yields eased over the past year to 5.3% in Sydney and 5.6% in Melbourne, while rising in Adelaide (5.6%), Perth (5.8%) and Brisbane (7.1%).

Knight Frank’s 2026 investment hotspots include North Sydney, Cremorne, Brisbane CBD (Top Tier), and the Adelaide and Perth CBDs.

The City of Parramatta is the latest council to announce the trial of a special entertainment precinct. Picture: Parramatta Council

Mr Burston said growth was more subdued outside the major CBDs where high vacancy weighed on performance, though he expects the recovery to gradually spread.

“We expect continued growth in Adelaide and Brisbane, while we expect Sydney and Melbourne to enter a second phase as growth extends beyond the core precincts,” he said.

“Adjacent markets, such as Sydney’s CBD Midtown and North Sydney and the Western Core in Melbourne, should see improving growth as they join the core in starting to benefit from a thinning supply pipeline.”

For investors weighing CBDs versus fringe hubs, Ms Flaherty said it’s about priorities.

“If you want a blue chip asset, the CBD makes sense – yields are a bit lower, but you may attract larger businesses,” she said.

“If you’re looking for higher returns and a lower price point, fringe markets make sense.”

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