You heard it here, but also let’s acknowledge up front that I’ve called it before and been wrong. This situation is different though. The OCR has reached the bottom, bank margins are tight, and term deposits can't go much lower.
Among all of the current madness you may have heard about the banks offering mortgage holidays, or repayment deferrals. Here's how the process works with each of the main banks.
Our view is that mortgage rates will stay low for the foreseeable future, but they are unlikely to drop much further. To explain this, we'll look at the bigger picture, and shed some light on how the OCR affects mortgage rates.
The Hayne Report was released in Australia recently, and brought about some stern recommendations for the lending sector. The standards have been put in place for the best interests of New Zealanders, however, like anything that is done by the government, they can often carry unforeseen circumstances. Let's take a look at how property investors could be affected.
Most media commentators are hooked on the new ‘rate war’, and the question being asked is if this is the new ‘norm.’ It isn’t, and more than that, you could easily miss out if you procrastinate.
12 Month interest rates are particularly appealing at the moment. Kiwibank has most recently offered a 12-month fixed rate sub 4% and many banks are moving in the same direction. This is fantastic for the next 12 months, however it pays to think about what you are going to do post the expiry of this rate.
One of the questions you might have if considering a mortgage broker for the first time is, why use a mortgage broker versus going to the bank direct? Or, what is the difference between a mortgage broker and a mobile mortgage manager? It’s hard to sum-up what we do in a couple of sentences, so here goes my 50 reasons why to use a mortgage broker and Squirrel in particular.
Buying a home is a tricky business. There are so many considerations to take into account.
The election will do nothing medium term to interest rates. Fundamentally not much will change that would impact on inflation or on rates.
When it comes to your mortgage it pays to know it inside and out. After all, when such a large sum of money is at stake the last thing you want are surprises and unexpected costs.
When it comes to your home loan there's more than one way to skin a cat. There are different interest rates, loan structures, add-ons, repayment terms and a number of other options that fundamentally alter the way that you manage and repay your loan.
If you're an Auckland homeowner working on a mortgage, we probably don't need to tell you how difficult managing your repayments can be.