Home Loans - February 12th OCR on hold at 1%, despite uncertain economic risk of Covid-19 While RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr acknowledged that the emergence of coronavirus – now named Covid-19 – does pose an economic threat, he said the Bank believes the risk will be short term in New Zealand. But …
Credit Cards - January 31st From payday loans to credit cards: what are the debt traps? What is a payday loan and what do you have to watch out for? A payday loan is a small, short-term unsecured loan. The repayments usually coincide with the borrower's payday, hence the name. Payday loans …
Home Loans - January 22nd Will a property trust really protect you if a relationship sours? Buying property with a partner – whether partner by marriage or otherwise – is not a decision to be made lightly. On the one hand, it can signal the start of a really exciting new …
First Home Buyers - January 15th After the move: a guide to caring for your first home If you're looking for some pointers on what to look for in a first home, how to get over losing out on properties and how to save for a first home, you can check out …
Home Loans - January 14th Don’t jump the gun when subdividing property in New Zealand What does subdividing mean? Subdividing is when you divide up land into two or more sections, generally with the idea of selling off some, if not all, of the resulting sections. The process of subdivision is categorised …
Home Loans - January 12th What to do if you have less than a 20% deposit for a house LVR restrictions – which determine how much lenders will let you borrow towards a house – were introduced in 2013 to cool down an overheated property market in New Zealand. While good in theory, the other …
Home Loans - January 12th In search of greener pastures: How to buy a vacant block of land Buying land as a way to get a rung up on the property market may seem scary because it isn't the most common option. But it doesn't have to be daunting. The key is to take …
Home & Contents Insurance - January 10th How to minimise home-buying risks in earthquake-prone areas Swish kitchens, beautiful bathrooms, great light and indoor-outdoor flow … ask people what they’re after in an idea family home and you’re unlikely to hear the word "earthquake" come up very often. Despite our country’s …
Home Loans - January 8th Backing out of a house sale? You better lawyer up… Co-author: Michelle Norton When can you change your mind about buying a house? Prospective buyers can change their mind about buying a house any time before settlement – but the consequences of this are different, depending on …
Home Loans - January 7th Sky-high living or noisy nightmare? The real deal on apartment life Apartments can have a wide range of benefits. And, in the midst of an economy that’s hard on those looking to buy property, it's often a more viable option for those on lower incomes and …
