Auckland first-home buyer? Top 10 locations to watch out for in 2021
Real estate expert Colliers International has revealed a list of the hottest locations in the market for first home buyers. COVID-19 and the rise of remote working are affecting Kiwi’s attitude to life, work and importantly, property. According to Pete Evans, national director of residential projects at Colliers, lifestyle suburbs […]
New Zealand’s housing market continues its upward trajectory
While January is usually a time for the housing market to slow down, with New Zealanders enjoying their summer holidays, January 2021 has broken from the norm. Median house prices across the country increased by 19.3 percent last month, as compared to January 2020. So how was the start of […]
When is the right time to buy a house?
If you are in the market for a first house, your next house, or an investment property, you are probably wondering: Is now a good time to buy? No one can say for sure at what property prices will do over the next month, year, or decade. It’s only in […]
Property market surpasses expectations – but will it last?
New Zealand’s property market continues to hold up despite all the uncertainty, surpassing expectations, and prompting economists to revise their forecast once again. While a downturn is still expected, most experts agree that the drop shouldn’t be “massive”…. Some relevant factors to watch According to independent economist Tony Alexander, there […]
Why it’s important to regularly review your insurance
Your insurance policies have been issued, so that’s that dealt with, right? Well…. maybe. If you’ve gone through the process of putting insurance cover in place, you might think that’s something that’s off your to-do list for the foreseeable future. But even when you have a great cover, things may […]
I had cancer. Can I still get insurance cover?
Surviving cancer can change a lot of things in your life – but what about your insurance? If you’ve battled cancer in the past, you may be unsure of what it means for your ability to get insurance in future, or to call again on the cover you already have […]
Is the First Home grant “out of tune” with this property market?
A recent article on TVNZ.co.nz compared residential figures and First Home grant eligibility criteria, and found that most first-home buyers in main centres would not qualify – with the exception if Christchurch. Time for an update? First Home Grant: How it works The First Home Grant (formerly known as HomeStart […]
Is a ‘mortgage repayment holiday’ right for you?
You might have heard of bit of talk lately about mortgage holidays. As part of its response to COVID-19, the Government has been working with lenders to make it easier for borrowers to get a break from their home loan repayments. While ‘mortgage repayment holidays’ have always been an option […]
Renovation Cheat Sheet
Renovations of tired, rundown homes can add big dollars to both yield and sale price. While it can be an expensive proposition (especially if you start moving walls around or redoing kitchens and bathrooms) there are some simple ways in which you can modernise old and unattractive homes without spending […]