In the week ending 24 July 2026, Bendigo Bank has cut selected variable home loan rates by up to 0.09 percentage points, while Suncorp has tightened its approval process for land and off-the-plan purchases, and CBA has removed an establishment fee for some existing borrowers. The week also brought updates to CBA's servicing calculator and NAB's pricing tools, signalling continued changes across both home loan pricing and lending processes.
Bendigo Bank cuts selected variable home loan rates
Effective 17 July 2026, Bendigo Bank has reduced variable rates across selected Flex and Easy home loans for new borrowers, with the largest cut of 0.09 percentage points applying to owner-occupier principal and interest loans with an 80–90% LVR.
Investor interest-only borrowers also received reductions of between 0.04 and 0.05 percentage points, depending on their LVR. Fixed rates across the Easy Home Loan range were also updated.
Borrowers already in the settlement process may also benefit. Customers who accepted their loan before 17 July but settle afterwards will automatically receive the new variable rate at settlement.
Suncorp introduces a stricter approval requirement
Suncorp has introduced a procedural change that could affect settlement timelines for some borrowers.
From 23 July, a registered property title must be in place before the bank will issue formal home loan approval. The change applies to land and property applications that had not already been approved by that date.
CBA removes a fee and updates borrowing assessments
From 1 July 2026, CBA has permanently removed its Simple Home Loan Establishment Fee for customers completing a Top-Up or Internal Refinance, reducing costs for existing borrowers restructuring their home loan.
The bank is also updating its servicing calculator from 25 July to reflect the ATO's new 2026–27 HELP debt repayment thresholds, which may change borrowing capacity for applicants with student debt. From 29 July, CBA will also expand its Click to Accept feature to multi-product home loan and internal refinance applications.
Separately, borrowers should also budget for higher settlement costs after every state and territory increased Land Titles Office registration fees from 1 July.
NAB streamlines pricing for brokers
NAB will update its Instant Pricing Tool from 30 July, with changes designed to simplify pricing, improve data accuracy and speed up pricing outcomes for customers. The bank is also making several ApplyOnline enhancements during July.
What it means for borrowers
This week's updates highlight that lender changes aren't always about interest rates.
- Borrowers considering Bendigo Bank may want to compare the new rates, particularly if borrowing with an 80–90% LVR.
- Anyone buying land or an off-the-plan property through Suncorp should check whether the new title requirement could affect their approval timeline.
- Existing CBA customers completing a top-up or internal refinance will no longer pay the establishment fee, while applicants with a HELP debt may want to revisit their borrowing capacity after the servicing calculator update.
- Borrowers settling a property should also allow for higher government registration costs following the nationwide increase in Land Titles Office fees.
