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We have an opinion or two about what’s going on in the property market! Here’s where we share the latest.
A real estate expert’s tips for landing your first home
We’ve worked with more than 1,000 first home buyers over the last ten years and we know that, when it comes to landing your first home, knowledge and being prepared is power!
That’s why we asked experienced real estate agent, William Tatana, for his advice on what first home buyers need to know to be successful.
Property market FOMO: I’m living it.
About a month ago, a lady knocked on my front door and she said “Cam, would you be interested in selling your house?”. Kirsty and I had actually talked about selling and moving on to something new but it wasn’t part of our immediate plans. Still, the question was a...
What’s the best interest rate strategy?
This question of what’s the best interest rate strategy has been something many homeowners haven’t considered for a while. I mean who needs to think hard on that one when the rates are falling month upon month (for years)! But it is a question that should start...
New tenancy rules create landlord exodus? Whatever.
With new Tenancy rules coming in next month (Feb 2021) there’s been the usual gnashing of teeth from landlords who feel aggrieved about tenants having a greater range of rights, at their very own expense. Yes, tenants are being given a bit more power. The two key...
Skills worth saving: How lockdown taught us how to beat the budget
Did you make a list of pursuits to keep you occupied during lockdown? If you weren’t wrangling under-5s or endeavouring to homeschool while doing the 9-5, perhaps you attempted artisan sourdough using panic bought flour? Maybe you learned to knit while listening to a...
Will having a flatmate help you buy your first home?
First home buyers often wonder aloud about whether or not the bank will include flatmates in their mortgage affordability calculation. Will that ‘income’ let you get a bigger mortgage and a flasher house? Or even just get a house at all? Here’s the rules with the...
When to jump at the best interest rate
About 10 days ago there was a flurry of activity on the interest rate front. ANZ appeared to lead the downward charge and everyone else followed, then ASB went one better, and everyone followed that. It turned out to be three days of mayhem for us where we worked hard...
LVR changes? First home buyers, sorry, they mean diddly squat to you
You’re probably well aware that the RBNZ removed the LVR restrictions on 30th April 2020. What you might not realise is that this was done so that the mortgage relief being granted to people as a result of Covid-19 (mortgage holidays etc), didn’t result in breaches of...
Time to refinance: Should you?
Before I answer that question it’s worth defining what ‘refinance’ actually means because it’s a word people use in different ways. Some people use it to mean ‘change banks’. Usually because they’re annoyed with their current bank or they have this idea that another...
INCOME: Why quality’s (almost) more important than quantity right now
Bigger is better right? The more the merrier too? In a financial context both make a lot of sense. When you think about borrowing money for a mortgage in the Auckland market, the more income you’ve got then the better your chances of getting that mortgage. That’s...
Download your free mortgage e-book
Got questions about buying your first home? Where to even start?! Our free e-book - The bank said YES! - takes you through the process in a simple (maybe even fun) way. Sign up for your copy, here.