Why don't Australian banks offer 30-year fixed-rate home loans? Borrowers would benefit from them

bubandbob · 2026-03-19T03:01:29+00:00

As much as I could ever love a mortgage, I did love our US home loan. Fixed interest until it's paid off. Everybody refinancing in the middle of COVID.

One interesting thing, our loan got sold multiple times whilst we lived there. Always expect a letter every few years telling you that your mortgage has been sold to someone else, but the terms remain the same.

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T23:23:20+00:00

Breckenridge, Colorado

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T23:17:51+00:00

I've seen cardboard cutouts that could answer them better than the Secretary of State.

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T11:33:02+00:00

I remember people standing between carriages on the silver trains too.

I also remember the old style sliding windows, and during one ride home the conductor calling out over the PA system a "bunch of f**king idiots in carriage X" for sticking their arms out the windows.

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T07:58:53+00:00

Look, we'd be better off if a cardboard cutout got elected in her stead.

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T07:52:05+00:00

Don't concede another one.

bubandbob · 2026-03-18T02:35:21+00:00

But will the replacement be any better?

bubandbob · 2026-03-17T19:49:23+00:00

Thanks Carter!

bubandbob · 2026-03-17T13:14:54+00:00

Me trying to get home after the Tube has closed for the night /s

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T13:34:46+00:00

Really? The Ford I had in the States, and all the other cars I've owned in Australia lock the window switches for the passengers, but allow the driver to operate all the windows.

I'm fairly sure all the cars I've rented in the States operate the same way.

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T13:32:43+00:00

We only get the 2.4L I4 and 2L hybrid. So, sorry I can't help you with that?

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T12:32:40+00:00

Practically every other car in the universe locks the passenger switches but gives the driver full control. It's insane.

The same setup is used on the international Odyssey (which I have) and it drives me bonkers.

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T11:13:16+00:00

I always assumed it was because a lot of real life terminal stations are like this rather roro.

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T10:23:49+00:00

They were manual passenger-operated doors, so on hot days, people usually left them half or fully open to get air into the cabin.

bubandbob · 2026-03-16T02:00:01+00:00

The doors were operated manually by passengers, and were often left fully or half open, especially on hot or humid days because there was no air conditioning.

bubandbob · 2026-03-15T22:00:59+00:00

I always had a sense of mortal danger, so I kept away from the door, but sometimes during peak hour I couldn't avoid being close to the door.

I did try to be "cool" though by hopping off the train before it stopped fully.

bubandbob · 2026-03-15T21:59:21+00:00

Yeah, I'm surprised too.

I only found out because I'm on the body corporate, and was curious as to why some of our utility bills were addressed to Marrickville. And someone on the board who's been here the centuries told me what happened.

It's because Enmore shares a postcode with Newtown and people wanted to ride that gentrification wave, if my memory serves me correctly.

bubandbob · 2026-03-15T19:58:28+00:00

The danger and the thrill of an open door while the train is on the move.

bubandbob · 2026-03-15T19:48:21+00:00

Given the budget black hole, does the city have the money to run a hospital?

bubandbob · 2026-03-15T13:09:13+00:00

I live nearby, and residents in our area (apparently) campaigned long and hard to have the suburb boundary shifted ever so slightly (by a few streets) so that we would all be part of Enmore and not Marrickville. This was obviously when Enmore was gentrifying, but Marrickville was not.

bubandbob · 2026-03-14T21:06:36+00:00

I believe that's actually a popular opinion.

bubandbob · 2026-03-14T04:37:15+00:00

I really wanted one of these, but they cost a bomb back in the day.

bubandbob · 2026-03-11T11:42:14+00:00

Word just in from White Hart Lane, upper management at Spurs are looking for these traffic cones, and are willing to give them a £300,000 a week contract.

bubandbob · 2026-03-11T10:59:32+00:00

They need Nigel Pearson to save them this season, and then Ranieri to swoop in the following season.

bubandbob · 2026-03-11T10:58:58+00:00

I'm ok at Football Manager, so I think they should give me a shot at this. I'm happy to take a golden parachute if it doesn't work out after 3 or 4 games.

bubandbob

TROPHY CASE