Crimmins Finance

02/12/2025

DECEMBER 2025 - email out

Hello,

As we quickly close in on the festive season, I thought I’d better send at least one Crimmins Finance update for the year… hard to believe it’s already December!

2025 has been another interesting year in the lending world, with plenty of movement across rates, policy and buyer behaviour. Here’s a quick snapshot:

📉 Interest Rates
The RBA reduced the cash rate below 4% for the first time in two years - though not as much or as often as many predicted. The cash rate currently sits at 3.60%, with some recent uncertainty about further reductions that were previously anticipated into 2026.

🏦 Rate Check (Current Lending Examples)
Owner Occupied Variable: from 5.14%

Fixed Rates: 2-year from 4.89%, 3-year from 4.99%

Investment P&I: from 5.39%

Investment Interest Only: from 5.49%

As always, there are plenty of moving parts and grey areas that influence the rates available, depending on client circumstances.

💰 Banking Sector
The big four reported $44.6 billion in pre-tax profits for the 23/24 financial year. My commitment continues to be ensuring savings and benefits go to my clients - not into growing bank profits.

🤝 Mortgage Brokers
Mortgage brokers now write 78% of all new loans.
This shift reflects the banks’ long-term decline in customer service and distribution focus. Brokers are better equipped to understand client needs and access a far broader range of products - I now have direct accreditation with 40+ lenders, giving access to thousands of products.

📂 Self-Employed Borrowers
Lenders have made small but meaningful improvements to help self-employed clients access finance more easily. It’s still a specialised space, but definitely trending in the right direction.

🏡 First Home Buyers
The government-backed 5% deposit scheme continues to support FHBs.
Recent updates include:

Joint applicants no longer need to be married or de facto

Applies to both new and existing homes

Available to Australian citizens and permanent residents

Eligible applicants must not have owned property in the past 10 years

Housing Australia provides a 15% guarantee, removing the need for LMI

While the media is pitching it as “new,” I’ve been using this scheme since it first launched over five years ago to help first homebuyers enter the property market. Yet another government/media beat-up.

🎓 HECS Debt
HECS continues to challenge many young professionals’ borrowing capacity. Recent policy tweaks aim to ease its impact, and we’re starting to see that flow through lending assessments.

🔐 Cyber Security & Credit Reports
Cybercrime remains a major issue, with $2 billion in reported losses in 2024 and an incident every six minutes.
A few key reminders:

Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible - it blocks 99%+ of automated fraud attempts.

Regularly check your credit report, also a key assessment tool in the lending world.

Many services now offer free monthly score updates and alerts if new credit is attempted in your name. Handy in our data breach world.

As a small, owner-operated business, I genuinely rely on personal recommendations. If you have family, friends, or colleagues who may need finance assistance - residential, commercial, business, asset, car or personal - please feel free to pass along my details. All consultations are private, no-obligation, and at no cost.

I’ll be around and available over the festive season, so if you want to discuss anything, please reach out anytime.

Have a very merry festive season, and here’s hoping 2026 is a great year for you and yours.

Kind regards

Sam Crimmins
M: 040 929 7707
E: [email protected]
W: crimminsfinance.com

Save the Date:
DOUGIE'S "10th" ANNUAL CHARITY LUNCHEON

Friday February 27th 2026.

St Andrews Hotel - 124 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy.

Send a message to learn more

18/12/2024

December 2024 Email Out


Dear Friend,

I hope this email finds you well!

As 2024 winds down and the festive season begins, I wanted to reach out with some reflections and updates on the year that’s been.

This year continued to bring its share of twists: rate hikes, cost-of-living pressures, inflation concerns, borrowing power restrictions, and the ongoing shifts in the property markets. Since May 2022, we've seen 13 rate increases, and while some predict we’ve hit the peak of the cycle, uncertainty remains. Earlier forecasts for a pre-Christmas rate cut didn’t materialise, with new estimates now pointing to mid-to-late 2025. If the so-called experts don’t really know, how are we.

Home Loan Rates:

Variable rates are now starting with a 5 in a lot of instances. It is not all about rate though, the structure of your loan also plays a very important part. Offsets, redraw and a banking structure to suit are just as important.

The fixed rate offerings are getting very interesting with lenders enticing borrowers with 2 & 3 year fixed rates starting at 5.69%. The first time in a long time the fixed offerings are better than the variable rates on offer.

Property Market Insights:

Australian Property Prices: November saw Australian property prices hit a record median of over $800,000.
Perth, Adelaide & Brisbane markets: Demand & supply shortages are seeing prices continue to rise.
All other capital city markets: Remain flat or even a slight decline to finish 2024
Sydney & Melbourne Supply Surges: These cities currently have more homes for sale than at any time in the past five years.
Whether you’re looking to refinance or explore new loan, be it residential, commercial, or asset finance—I'm here to ensure you secure the most competitive rates available.

The Value of Brokers

It’s no surprise that brokers now handle over 74% of residential loans in Australia. Brokers provide access to a range of lenders, offering clients better outcomes than dealing directly with banks. If the Big Four banks had succeeded in sidelining brokers a decade ago, interest rates could easily be above 7.5% today.
As an accredited broker with 40+ lenders, I can provide tailored market comparisons to ensure you get the best deal, at no extra cost to you. My mission has always been to prioritize my clients’ savings over bank profits.

Government Schemes for First Home Buyers

Helping clients achieve their dream of homeownership remains a highlight of my work. Government schemes now extend eligibility to those who haven’t owned a property in the past 10 years. These programs allow “qualifying” buyers to purchase with as little as a 5% deposit and no LMI (Lender’s Mortgage Insurance).
If you or someone you know is ready to take the first step toward homeownership, be in contact, I’d be honoured to try and help make this happen.
Dougie’s Luncheon #8

Thank you to the generous support of attendees & donations, we purchased 2,160 kg of pasta, equating to over 8,500 meals for marginalised communities in Melbourne. By donating produce rather than cash, we ensure resources reach those who need them most — a principle that drives everything we do.
Additionally, our ongoing support to the Br. Doug Walsh Education Program in Manila continues to make a significant difference, helping break the cycle of poverty through education. The success stories from this program are inspiring.

Save the date: Dougie’s Luncheon #9
Friday, February 28, 2025
St. Andrews Hotel, 124 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy.
Bringing together good people for good causes at a great venue.
“More the Merrier”

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful festive season and a prosperous start to 2025!

I’m available throughout, so please reach out anytime.

Warm regards,

Sam Crimmins
M: 040 929 7707
E: [email protected]
W: crimminsfinance.com

Australian Credit Licence 389328
Authorised Credit Representative 477757

Send a message to learn more

14/03/2023

Small sponsorship for the "Darwin Salties" who competed at the 2023 Gold Coast Masters Rugby League at Runaway Bay - very well attended and organised event. Happy to watch from the sidelines & a good excuse to get back up to the Gold Coast.

23/12/2022

** Christmas 22 Mail out **

Hello ....... ,

Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and an enjoyable festive season.

It's certainly been an interesting and unprecedented year in the Australian Mortgage Market.
Up, up and away … with a record 8 rate risers in the year.
So it's important to be sure you are still on one of the best available offerings… your current lender may not care, but your broker should !!! This is probably why that now over 70% of all residential lending is done via a broker.

Thank you to my loyal clients, the ongoing business partnership with the Make a Difference community is continuing to help those in need. For every loan written, funds are donated to purchase pasta that is distributed on the frontline to the homeless and families in need. Simply by utilising Crimmins Finance for your financial needs, you are also helping those less fortunate. In the past 12 months we have supplied over 850kg of pasta, which has then been made into almost 7 thousand meals.

Every day I enjoy working with new and current clients to ensure they are finding the right finance solutions. This allows me to keep up-to-date with different products, new lending policies, and all the cash back promotions that may be available to you right now.
I am available over the festive season, so please feel free to contact me anytime for a private, no cost and no obligation consultation.
In some personal news, I’m proud to have recently been appointed a board member for the Doxa Youth Foundation. A 50 year organisation that gives children from low socio economic areas the chance to have different life experiences via their camps.

All the best for a fun and safe festive season. And again, if any questions or queries, you're welcome to contact me at anytime.

Best Wishes,

Sam Crimmins
M: 040 929 7707
E: [email protected]
Australian Credit Licence 389328
Authorised Credit Representative 477757

SAVE THE DATE
Dougie's Annual Charity Luncheon, Friday 24th February 2023
St Andrews Hotel, 124 Nicholson St Fitzroy, 3065
https://www.trybooking.com/CESBR

Good People at a Good Venue for a Good Cause
More the Merrier !!
Crimmins Finance Webpage
Make A Difference Webpage
Doxa Youth Foundation Webpage

Dougie's Annual Charity Day Luncheon 2023 Brining good people together at a great venue for great causes.

02/03/2022

10/12/2021

Sam Crimmins

Thanks OzHarvest Melbourne; our commitment to eradicating hunger in Melbourne and working with outstanding organisations like yours continues to grow.

Digital Document Solutions Crimmins Finance Maid to Clean Extend Oz Kenshi Candles Belle Property Glen Iris officeFocus

01/07/2021

Huge thanks to all Make A Difference Community members and supporters. So far this year we've donated 40 tonnes of pasta - that's enough to fill 3 swimming pools!

Digital Document Solutions Crimmins Finance Maid to Clean Extend Oz Kenshi Candles Belle Property Glen Iris
Trade For Good

24/10/2020

Always great helping first home buyers into the market ..

The process for the purchaser(s) can be made a lot easier if dealing with a trusted mortgage broker.

https://www.theage.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/five-things-i-ve-learnt-during-my-first-year-of-homeownership-20201023-p567z9.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&fbclid=IwAR2ggA0vEInw-kdva1WyBuvU-vw0E3wwxOMehDV1swHt4bYTIN4YMV2hAFg =1603572722

01/09/2020

Hello, hope all is well.

Always a lot happening in the lending game, especially in the current pandemic, rates have never been lower with first homebuyers and refinances taking advantage of the rates and incentives on offer.

First Home Buyers
Always great helping clients into their first property, with government incentives like the FHLDS (first home loan deposit scheme) and stamp duty concessions, I have enjoyed helping clients purchase whilst utilising these cost saving incentives. With rates at an all-time low, the mortgage repayments are similar if not less than paying rent. It’s never too early to start planning for a purchase, be in touch if you would like to discuss, it is understandably a long drawn out process for many.

Refinances
“It’s better in your pocket than the lenders”
Helping clients get better deals on their current loans is a rewarding process for all. With cash back incentives and all-time low rates, it’s a great time to be looking for a better deal on your current loans.
Example on a 450k loan over 30 years – by changing from a 2.99% to 2.59% loan = approx savings $1,900 per year

Business, Commercial, Asset & Car Finance
In line with residential lending, the offerings have never been better. Transparency on fees more so than rates is an important factor when looking at these finance options.
The main lenders used recently from the 30+ on panel:
Suncorp, Macquarie, ANZ, NAB, Auswide, Advantage, ING, Adelaide Bank, Resimac.

Crimmins Finance is a private and complimentary service for all clients. Personal referrals and recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Available 7 days a week (including nights weekends & public holidays)

Hopefully be able to catch-up soon

Kind Regards

Sam Crimmins
M: 040 929 7707
E: [email protected]
W: crimminsfinance.com

Australian Credit Licence 389328
Authorised Credit Representative 477757

13/04/2020

https://www.domain.com.au/money-markets/what-can-mortgage-brokers-do-for-you-amid-the-coronavirus-crisis-948024/?fbclid=IwAR3TvLBSEEaLPkUIpdYAYMOe-ttQDaon8NsEJOmuy9cORXlnLKHD6bLsSIo

Should you refinance? Should you fix your rates? Can you still get a home loan? Here's how to use a mortgage broker to navigate today's financial maze.