James Evans - Black Swan Mortgage Services

07/05/2026

Hey All,

Just my key notes from today’s press releases;

* Vacant land up to $450,000 has no stamp duty for first home buyers.

* First home buyers can buy homes worth up to $600,000 with zero stamp duty.

* The First Home Owner Grant property limit increased from $750k to $800k.

* First home buyers in WA will pay heavily reduced stamp duty on homes up to $800,000.

* Stamp duty has also been removed or reduced for off-the-plan and pre-construction homes [apartments, townhouses, survey strata homes] for First Home Buyers.

If you are about to buy or have signed a contract to buy (or build) and want to know how or if this might affect you, don’t hesitate to reach out.

James Swan Mortgage Services

01/05/2026

Keeping it simple this week 😊

James Evans - Black Swan Mortgage Services

23/04/2026

If you're a first-home buyer and really don't know where to start, don't stress.

You're in a good position; we'll show you the A-Z, then go in-depth on how you can achieve your goals as soon as possible.

Feel free to DM me if you have any burning questions :).

James Evans - Black Swan Mortgage Services

14/04/2026

Local to the area & happy to help! 😁

11/04/2026

Something the bank branches don’t tell you at the start is that refinancing costs money. It can cost anywhere from $700-$1,300, usually.

And whilst you need to review your rates and features, make sure it makes financial sense, savings-wise, on your monthly repayments.

3 Really good reasons to refinance are:
- You haven’t reviewed your mortgage product in the last 3-5 years.
- You want to make general home improvements (new kitchen, patio etc.)
- You want to make structural home improvements (Granny flat, large shed)

Reviewing your current mortgage is as quick as flicking us an email or giving us a call, we’re local to the area and happy to help 😊.

- James @ Black Swan Mortgage Services

18/03/2026

Good Evening All,

Wanted to put a post out this week for my first home buyers.

Been talking to a few of you recently, and a common theme is that most don’t even know where to start.

And believe it or not, that’s actually a really good place to begin, because everything is new, you can only learn the basic, most important elements of getting into your first home.

And ask those questions you’ve been wondering about for so long at the same time.

A lot of first home buyers are actually ready to go out and find a house tomorrow; they just haven’t spoken to us, so they don’t know it yet.

I’m thinking of hosting a free Zoom session for an hour every Tuesday night from 5:30-6:30 where you can come on, ask any burning question you might have and understand the best next steps for you in terms of getting into your first home.

Drop a comment if you’d be interested 😊

- James Swan Mortgage Services

11/03/2026

Good morning all, hope everyone's having a good Wednesday!!

So I talked to someone yesterday who has an interest rate that’s higher than the norm. But the bank they are with is offering lower rates than that to new customers.

To be honest with you, that’s completely normal. If you don’t pay attention to this, banks will find a way to get that little but extra out of you, and with so many clients at major banks, that adds up to way more than you could imagine.

So if you do one thing today, take a look at your mortgage. Is your bank giving you a product with the right rates, repayments and features?

And if you want me to check it for you (completely free of course), give me a buzz on 0466 672 937, it will take me 2 minutes 😊.

- James Swan Mortgage Services

06/03/2026

Quick fact about the last two people I spoke to regarding their current properties.

They estimated the value of their own properties at around $200,000 underneath industry standard.

And while you can’t blame anyone for not having a good idea of what their property is worth in this market, knowing can bring a whole host of opportunities.

An extra $200,000 is an extra $200,000 or equity, this could help you put that granny flat, outdoor kitchen or extra room in.

Do you have or suspect you have equity to upgrade your property this year? If so, drop a comment and let us know what you would do with it!

James @ Black Swan Mortgage Services

10/02/2026

As a mortgage broker, I utilise Brodie's services when my clients want to sell their houses.

Time and time again, they come back and tell me how happy they are with the whole process. He makes what can be a complex process at times really simple and always puts you first, can't recommend him enough!!

04/02/2026

Hey All,

Today’s a great day to discuss the interest rate rise from yesterday, which takes the nominal interest rate back to where it was in May 2025.

The main question people want to ask is why has this happened?

Interest rates just reflect what’s happening with the economy, and while it’s always going to be a gamble as to whether you choose to go with a fixed or variable interest rate, it’s important to understand a couple of things.

Historically, a 5-6% interest rate is deemed normal, and we’re still in that range.

Lenders are currently offering fixed rates slightly higher than variable, which indicates the banks don’t believe interest rates will go up too far.

It also means lenders are willing to push even harder to compete for your business as we head out of summer.

If you want to discuss getting a better interest rate, features and products from another bank, my doors always open 😊.

James Evans - Black Swan Mortgage Services

28/01/2026

Morning All!

I’ve just come off a home purchase where I honestly feel it would have been impossible to make it work without the help of a broker.

There was panic from my clients over how complicated it would be and which lender to go through, but we made it really simple.

The strategy that made it work was the strategy first presented to my client the first time we met. We stuck to it, and he’s moving into his new home next week.

There’s no way that if brokers didn’t exist, this would have even been possible; but we made it happen, and someone else moves into their dream home next week.

Will you be next? If so, we’d love to hear from you 😊!

James Evans - Black Swan Mortgage Services

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