Blog

New Zealanders are fast becoming experts on the OCR – the official cash rate. While we may have previously paid some attention when the Reserve Bank did its review about every two months, it’s now in the news all the time. That’s because the OCR is the biggest factor...

Insurance is one of the key tasks on the life admin list. But, unlike booking a doctor’s appointment or mover, choosing insurance cover isn’t a simple box-ticking exercise. There are so many types of cover, providers and options that it can feel overwhelming. You...

Designing and building your dream home has huge upsides – with New Zealand’s building standards, you know it’ll be warm, dry, energy-efficient and easy to maintain. The top 10 ways to stay on schedule and within budget 1. Prioritise the land Compromising on location...

Buying a home doesn’t begin and end with just dreaming up the right property. There is a lot to think about. As with everything, you will need to research the market carefully before you dive in. Get it wrong and it could set you back years. The process of buying a...

For first-home buyers, saving a deposit needed to get on the homeownership ladder is not easy. 20% can seem like an insurmountable amount of money. But don’t despair. There are still ways that Kiwis can achieve their dream of home ownership even if they have a smaller...

With life insurance coverage in place, you’re secure knowing your loved ones are financially protected without you there. The sad reality is, however, that many Kiwis are forced to reduce or cancel their life insurance policy after paying premiums for many years, just...

Your insurance policy is a contract An insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurer. If you have any questions about your coverage, it's important they are clarified with your insurer. We can do that for you. At Global Finance, our insurance advisors...

People refix mortgages for a number of reasons Typically, a mortgage is refixed at the end of a loan term. Most of us tend to set and forget our mortgages: we fix a rate for a set period, budget how much to pay each week/ fortnight/ month and walk away. But interest...

Property prices have been decreasing over recent months. We may be entering what’s known as a buyers’ market. This could be concerning for those who already own a home and those wishing to sell. However, a buyers’ market can present great opportunities for people...

Renting vs buying 12 months ago, the rental market in New Zealand was different. There has recently been an increase in the number of rentals being listed. The housing market has slowed. It is taking longer to sell homes and prices have dropped. The...

As interest rates have risen over the past year, New Zealand’s appetite for endlessly increasing property prices has been replaced by a fear of paying too much. Because the property market is so volatile, many investors – and potential investors – are holding back on...

Being a prospective first home buyer is not easy. Despite a softening market, house prices are still way up there. And inflation and rising interest rates are making it even tougher. But there is still some hope out there and help in the form of government subsidies....

10 ways to manage your life and your mortgage right now With interest rates soaring, mortgage repayments are about to get much more expensive for many New Zealanders – particularly those who bought property during the boom of the last two years and fix their loan for...

Cashbacks, cash contributions, cash rewards, cash, cash incentives or first home bonuses: these all sound wonderful but as always, caveat emptor “let the buyer beware.” A cash reward is nice to have, but it’s not the sole basis on which to choose a lender. None of us...

As recent history has very clearly shown us when it comes to mortgages and interest rates, predicting the future is very tricky. On top of this, many of us find thinking about our mortgage changes, rollovers and refixes just headache-making. Many of us prefer to not...

The potential payout far outweighs the cost For most New Zealanders, creating a safety net for those unexpected emergencies is high on the priority list. But with competing financial demands, it can be hard to know where to put your money to get the best out of it....

Banks can say “No” to home loan applications for all sorts of reasons. There are many Kiwis with stable employment and good credit history to whom banks have refused a mortgage. Banks must follow strict regulatory guidelines that can result in even the most...

For many years, house prices in New Zealand have increased year on year at an exponential rate. Even during the thick of the global pandemic, they continued to rise. But with recent changes in the market, economists are saying that trend isn’t likely to continue in...