Most homeowners in New Zealand are justifiably concerned about rising interest rates and home loan affordability. In mid-April 2022, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 1.5 percent, its biggest rate hike in more than 20 years. A further increase at the end of May takes the OCR to 2 percent. At the same time, inflation has risen to a whopping 7 per cent, placing enormous pressure on already overstretched household budgets. Restructuring the mortgage could help reduce the risk of exposure to interest rate movements.
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