Just like a health check, reviewing your mortgage annually can help you uncover any issues before they become serious. It’s a chance to check that you’re getting the best deal on the market. And if not, it provides some alternative financial solutions. If your fixed loan term is nearing its end or your circumstances have changed recently, there’s no better time to plan a mortgage review and decide whether to refinance, refix or revert.
Topics: Mortgage Advisers, NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, mortgage review
Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’re already feeling the pinch of festive spending to come, there’s no better time to get planning. Holiday gift-giving and entertaining can be a real drain on the wallet and your mental health so it’s vital you plan ahead with a solid budget that’s realistic and attainable. We’ve put together a list of ideas to help you celebrate Christmas while staying within your limit.
Topics: Debt Consolidation, NZ Finance, Budgeting, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice
Choosing the right home loan to fit your lifestyle and your needs can be a challenge, especially if you’re new to the property market and you don’t have a good understanding of how home loans are structured. To help you better understand the different types of home loans as well as the pros and cons of each, we’ve created a handy guide that takes you through each option.
Topics: NZ Finance, Home Loan Rates, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, Welcome Home Loan, Low Doc Home Loan, Home Loan Application
If you’ve ever applied for credit – be it a home loan, credit card, phone or electricity account – you’ll already have a credit score. Your credit score is used by lenders to assess your credit-worthiness each time you apply for credit. The higher your score, the better your credit rating, and the more likely you are to be approved for credit. Find out more about credit scores and how you can improve yours with this useful guide.
Topics: NZ Finance, Credit Check, credit score, Bad Credit Home LOan, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Comprehensive Credit Reporting, Home Loan Advice
Planning a summer break this holiday and heading to the beach, the mountains or overseas?
Empty houses are an easy target for burglars so it pays to be a little more cautious to ensure the security of your home and save you unnecessary stress while you’re away. Stop unwelcome visitors in their tracks and keep your home safe this holiday with these handy tips.
Topics: NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, Home Insurance, Home and Contents Insurance
With the rising cost of property across New Zealand, it’s not surprising that so many parents are having to help their grown-up children buy property. In fact, it’s estimated that the “Bank of Mum and Dad” is the sixth largest lender when it comes to mortgage lending in New Zealand. While bank lending requirements have made it harder for first-home buyers to use their parent’s help to get onto the property ladder, there are still a few ways you as a parent can help.
Topics: Buying, Pre-approvals, NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Bank of mum and dad, Guarantor, Home Loan Advice
A home loan pre-approval gives you peace of mind when you first start house-hunting, by letting you know exactly how much money the bank is prepared to lend you. Although your pre-approval is conditional, it puts you in a position to move quickly when you find your ideal home, and it’s also an essential step if you want to bid at auctions. Here’s what you need to know about the home loan pre-approval process.
Topics: Buying, Pre-approvals, NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, Home loan pre-approval
In late October 2018, the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill came into effect. While the changes to the bill restrict certain overseas people from buying residential land and existing properties in New Zealand, there are still opportunities for overseas investors who want to buy residential land to build on, as well as for residence-class visa holders who don’t currently live in New Zealand but want to buy a home here.
Topics: Buying, NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, Non-resident buyers, Non-resident lending
It’s not uncommon for couples to contribute different amounts when buying their first family home. Under New Zealand law, once a couple has been living together for three years or more, they are subject to the Property (Relationships) Act, which states that assets are shared equally regardless of how much each person initially contributed. A “pre-nup”– or a Contracting Out Agreement – is a way to preserve respective contributions in the event of a separation or divorce.
Topics: Buying, NZ Finance, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Home Loan Advice, Contracting Out Agreement, Pre-nuptial
Recent changes to KiwiBuild could help more first home buyers into the property market. Early in September 2019, Government announced a reset of the affordable housing policy including a drop in the deposit requirements for Welcome Home Loans, progressive home ownership schemes, and the removal of the earnings limit so multiple buyers could be eligible for combined HomeStart Grants.
Topics: First Home, NZ Finance, First Home Buyer, NZ Mortgage Adviser, Low Deposit, Home Loan Advice
