Banking & Insurance - November 11th Mortgage Offset Accounts: How Do They Work? Key points: An offset account is an everyday transaction account linked to your home loan. If you maintain a sufficient balance, an offset account has the potential to help you save thousands of dollars …
Home Loans - November 11th Five Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster Most Kiwis start their homeownership journeys with mortgages of between 20 and 30 years. However, the faster you pay down your home loan, the sooner you can enjoy financial security. And by paying more than …
Home Loans - October 22nd Squirrel: Where Are Mortgage Rates Headed? The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) has kicked things up a notch. On October 9, it delivered a 0.50% reduction to the Official Cash Rate (OCR) – twice what it had forecast back in August – taking it …
First Home Buyers - September 30th Long-term Mortgages: Beware the Break Fee! In a changing interest rate environment, like the one we’re in right now, the question of how long to fix your mortgage can feel like a tricky one to get right. Squirrel's John Bolton explains …
Home Loans - September 2nd Easy Guide: How to Apply For a Home Loan Unless you're Richie Rich, if you want to buy a home, you'll need to apply for a home loan. And if you're new to the property-buying game, it can seem overwhelming. However, if you know …
First Home Buyers - August 30th What does a Mortgage Broker Do? And Should You Use One? Do you really need to use a mortgage broker? If you're after a home loan, it's a valid question. For when it comes to mortgages, there's really only one thing most of us care about: …
Banking & Insurance - August 28th What Does a Lower OCR Mean for Kiwi Mortgage Borrowers? In this story we cover: What does a lower OCR mean for Kiwis with mortgages? What does a lower OCR mean for the NZ economy? What do falling interest rates mean for the housing market? In …
First Home Buyers - July 30th What are the Risks of Buying Off the Plan? What does buying off the plan mean? Buying a property off the plan means buying a property that has yet to be constructed, such as an apartment in a complex that’s yet to be built or …
First Home Buyers - July 26th Top Tips for Building A New Home 1. Build to your section The key to good home design is to build to the section, not the other way around. You should design or choose a house plan that is going to make the …
First Home Buyers - July 25th How Does a Mortgagee Sale Affect Tenants? What is a mortgagee sale? A mortgage is a home loan secured against a property. If the borrower fails to make their mortgage repayments, the lender can sell the property to recover the money they are …
