Managing your mortgage Archives

Same answer, different reasons

Let me tell you something that sounds obvious but that most people miss when it comes to their mortgage: it’s not the decision that matters most — it’s the thinking behind it.
I talk to clients all the time who’ve heard that a friend fixed for two years and figure that must be the right call for them too. Maybe it is. But probably for completely different reasons. A couple fixing for two years because one of them is going on parental leave and they need certainty in their budget?

Should you chase that cashback offer?

There’s a saying that I’m sure most of you are familiar with: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
This saying was brought home to me the other day when one of my clients rang me in a bit of a bind. They had been in the middle of a combined three-year fixed and floating mortgage, which we had fixed up for them.

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.

Refixing your mortgage – there’s more flexibility than you think

Refixing in a reducing interest rate environment sounds boring as hell, doesn’t it?

But stick with me, because this could save you a lot of stress and potentially thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage.

We have countless conversations with clients about what to do when their fixed rate expires. Especially now, when interest rates have dropped. And I find myself encouraging virtually everyone to keep their payments at the same level they’ve been making, even though the new rate might be lower.