The twelve-minute job that now takes two
Let me tell you what changed on our side of the desk recently, because I think it says more about where this industry is going than any headline about AI ever could.
What I learned from putting solar panels on my roof
I’ll be upfront: this one is personal. I’m not writing about a client’s experience or something I read in an economist’s report. I’m writing about my own house, my own power bill, and what I’ve learned over the past six months since we installed solar panels.
Should I lock in now or wait? Why splitting your mortgage beats crystal ball gazing
I seem to have had a lot of calls like this recently. “Cam, my fixed rate’s coming up for renewal and I’m not sure whether to lock in now or wait for rates to drop further. What would you do?”
It’s a fair question, and I get why people are asking it. We’ve just come through twelve months where interest rates have fallen by a full 2.5%, so naturally, everyone’s wondering if they’re about to miss out on even better rates just around the corner. The fear of locking in today only to see rates drop next month is real, and it’s keeping a lot of people awake at night.
Don’t just click and hope – why your refix decision deserves more than five minutes
I’ll be straight with you – the banks love it when you refix online. It’s quick, it’s efficient for them, and frankly, it saves them money.
But the vast majority of people who come to see me want to have a proper conversation before they make their refix decision, not after they’ve already locked themselves in.
So – you’ve got your mortgage? Here’s why you still need our services
Let’s discuss a common misconception – mortgage advisers help you obtain a mortgage and then gallop off into the sunset.
Wrong. There’s so much more to it than that.
Getting you that home loan is our bread and butter at Hastie Mortgages, but the value isn’t just in the initial transaction – it’s in the ongoing relationship that ensures your mortgage continues working for you as your life changes.
Financial curveballs: room to swing within your mortgage
I’ve noticed quite a bit of chatter on social media recently, suggesting you shouldn’t take out a 30-year loan term. The argument goes that paying a loan over three decades results in paying far more interest. And yes, that’s mathematically correct. Will I pay more or less interest on a 30-year loan? The simple answer is more interest – but there’s much more to the story.
Property investment in 2025
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about property investment, especially with the higher interest rates and regulatory restraints of the last few years, 2025 might be the year to make your move. But before you rush out to become a landlord, let’s talk about why the timing looks good and, more importantly, how to do it smartly.
Why we’re big fans of banking flexibility
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my many years as a mortgage advisor, it’s that not all bank products are created equal. While most banks offer..
It’s about opportunity cost
Our previous article, ‘The squeeze is on!’ , was that spending restraint would begin to flow through the economy because interest rates would absorb…
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…