Blog

With interest rates at record lows, a lot of property investors are waking to find that their investment properties are now becoming positively geared i.e. the rental income now outweighs the home loan interest repayments on the property, rates, home insurance and...

How a construction loan makes building easier Can’t find your dream home anywhere? Why not build it? With a construction loan, buying a section and building a brand-new home could be simpler than you think. Building a home can be complicated – you have to deal with...

Protecting your future self In New Zealand, if you break your leg, have a baby or need life-saving surgery, you get the care you need without a huge bill at the end. We’re lucky – our healthcare system offers high-quality care and treatment to residents for free, or...

How COVID-19 could impact on home loan rates Will the interest rate on your home loan be affected by COVID-19? As lockdown restrictions loosen and the initial shock of living through a pandemic recedes, people are starting to look at the ongoing economic effects of...

Prices, demand, and lending restrictions For the last few weeks, coronavirus has kept us stuck in our homes. For many people, this forced stay-cation will lead to a re-evaluation of their living situation. If you live with family or flatmates, you might be freshly...

How to get a mortgage when you can’t prove your income For most people, getting a home loan means doing a budget, filling in forms, and printing out some payslips. The only hard part is finding a home that you like – and can actually afford. But if you’re running a...

Life changes, insurance should too When and why to review your life insurance Because life insurance is a safety net for your family and finances, it needs to match your family and financial circumstances to be effective. The amount of cover you need changes over...

New build or existing home? Practicality, personality, price, and other considerations Some people love the idea of a brand-new home – shiny new fixtures that you choose yourself, the layout and space you’ve always wanted, no worries about leaks or ancient pipes...

Fighting the financial virus Over the last four months, we’ve all learned far more than we wanted to know about coronavirus. We know now that it impacts on people in very different ways, depending on their age, health, and underlying conditions. Some get the virus...

External factors influencing your home loan vs the ones you can change When it comes to looking at your home loan, we know there are massive factors that influence house prices such as the housing marketing going up or down. There could be a supply and demand change,...

Solving problems with a second mortgage Need short-term finance? A second mortgage could help. Life is full of ups and downs – and your finances are no different. When your circumstances change and you need access to cash, a second mortgage could be the best option...

Turning theoretical value into real profit If you own your home, you’re building equity whether you know it or not. If you’re smart, you could use that equity to buy an investment property. Equity is the difference between the current value of your home and the amount...

House and land, sorted The ins and outs of package deals Building your own, customised, perfectly designed home sounds appealing until you think about the work involved – finding a section, choosing an architect or designer and drawing up plans, picking a builder,...

What to consider when you’re thinking of selling One home, many options There are a few reasons to consider selling your property. Maybe you bought a modest first home because that’s what you could afford, and now you’re ready to upgrade. Maybe you’ve had a kid or two...

When to review, re-fix, or refinance – and why you should A mortgage is a big deal – 25 or 30 years of payments and hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Although it is a huge commitment, what many people don’t realise is that you can make changes – and even...

How refinancing could boost your cash flow When money is tight, people tend to cut back on extras like coffee and eating out, try to reduce utility bills and grocery budgets, or even look for second jobs. Many don’t think to look at changing their biggest expense –...

You have options – and we can help With increasingly uncertain times ahead have you got the financial measures in place to assist you is a question at the front of consumers minds. However, it doesn’t have to be all bleak. There are some options available that might...

COVID-19, in an uncertain environment could you pay your mortgage? Interest rates at an all-time low With COVID-19 already affecting markets around the world, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand on the 16th March has taken an unprecedented step and reduced the OCR from 1%...