One of the things you will do in life that is guaranteed to give you sleepless nights or at the very least, moments of panic and anxiety is when you embark on the road to home ownership. The thought of harnessing yourself to a large home mortgage can be daunting.

• How much can I afford to borrow?
• What kind of loan do I need?
• How will an interest rate rise affect me?
• Do I need a variable or fixed interest rate?

So it's imperative that you seek professional advice when choosing your home loan and just as importantly, the mortgage broker that is right for you.

Gone are the days when you needed to do all the leg-work, going from bank to bank, gathering information about various home loan options, and then sitting down at home trying to fill in the forms only to get rejected because you missed something. It's too important and so very easy to get wrong.

Save yourself time and stress - use a reputable

mortgage broker! Look for a broker who works in your local area; someone who will take time to meet with you and who will analyse what kind of home loan will best suit your needs. Remember to check that they are fully accredited with both the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) and Finance Brokers Association of Australia Ltd (FBAA).

You no longer need to be limited to the range of home loan products that the big banks offer. Choose a mortgage broker who has access to hundreds of different home loan products through banks and non-bank mortgage lenders. They will be able to offer advice on a diverse range of home loans which ensures that you find a loan that gives you all the flexibility, affordability, savings and repayment freedom you need.

Not only do you get more choice but taking the advice of a mortgage broking professional incurs no charge. In fact, the whole purpose of using the services of a mortgage broker is to ideally save you money! So why wouldn't you engage an experienced industry adviser who can give you up-to-the-minute information about new home loan products entering the market?

Mortgage brokers do all the work for you; their client's needs and circumstances get matched to the home loan that suits their unique situation. They offer a complete range of finance solutions that make is easy for their clients to afford what they want, when they want it. They will fully explain all the features, benefits and costs associated with the loan they recommend.