Homes at risk if prices drop, mortgage rates up - 2004-03-25
Large numbers of Australians risk losing their homes if interest rates increase, rents fall and jobs disappear, the Reserve Bank said yesterday.

A downturn in the economy could cause the number of mortgage defaulters to increase by considerably more than suggested by historical experience, the bank said.
Read the full story at Sunday Times

How to acquire a second home - 2004-03-25
Not that long ago, Frank Kwok relocated from a 900-square-foot townhouse on the North Shore of Oahu "because we wanted our own home with a yard and everything."

Buying a second home isn't much different from buying a primary residence. If you don't rent it out regularly, so it's not considered an investment property, you can get the same mortgage rate that you would get on your primary house.
Read the full story at Bankrate.com