Category: First Time Buyers

New home numbers a boost for first-time buyers

America’s real estate market appears set for a fascinating 2025 after new home sales finished strongly in December and pointed to a building confidence among buyers. We had hoped the Federal Reserve would step in to reduce the cash rate by a further 0.25% at the end of last month to ease the mortgage burden…
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Values predicted to rise even if Fed is slow to move

The affordability of housing will be front and center in America’s political conversation this year, as everyone from the President down seeks cheaper interest rates to take pressure off values and rents. The nation’s ability to deliver affordable housing – a common challenge among many western economies – will affect millions of households.  The market…
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Struggle with strata fees? Here’s an explainer

Buying your first property is one of the most exciting moments in your life. For most first homebuyers, they will be hatching plans to renovate or make cosmetic improvements so their first apartment feels like their own home. The price of property – plus current interest rates – has forced many young buyers to modify…
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Slow market poised for promise of rate cuts

The false expectation that Australia would see interest rates tumbling by now has played a significant role in dampening the spring sales season, according to industry researcher CoreLogic. Its newly-released numbers show prices have continued to hold their ground but the number of transactions were less than historic norms. For the three months ending November…
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Is it time to check your home insurance policy?

Every year, most owners will get a reminder to pay their home and contents insurance, and then transfer the cash without understanding exactly what they’re buying.  So, what does the average policy cover? Firstly, let’s differentiate between home and contents cover. If you’re insuring your house, then your home policy should cover the structure of…
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Property predictions and tips for 2025

Real estate prices displayed considerable resilience in 2024, but the burning question now is whether the supply and demand equation will keep values buoyant while we all wait for the much-promised and delayed interest rate cuts. Predicting when rates might fall from 4.35% is like playing roulette. With so many economic and geo-political factors in…
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Property values bucking economic trends

Economic news might have been less than we’d have wanted for Christmas, but the property market is showing signs of resistance. And that’s good news for buyers and sellers alike. Prices are on the rise for the first time in seven months, according to the monthly Valocity housing report. While the 0.7% rise is not…
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Value growth and rising deal numbers likely for 2025

As we enter 2025, Kiwis will be wondering what the property market holds for the next 12 months, and whether values will start to rebound on the back of some aggressive rate-cuts from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. As an experienced agency, we can see a mixed picture that’s going to be dominated by…
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Nine-point strategy to find your ideal investment property

Values rise, transactions up as rate cuts boost optimism

Two mortgage rate cuts of 0.5% in succession have given Canadians renewed optimism about the property market. The national average sale price has risen 7.4% to $694,411, according to new figures from the Canadians Real Estate Association (CREA). And with our cash rate now 3.25% – one of the lowest among developed economies – homebuyers…
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Is it time to re-evaluate your loan now mortgage costs are falling?

As we enter 2025, Canadians homebuyers and owners will be looking at a myriad of economic and political issues that could influence their decision to review and change their mortgage arrangements. While our agency does not pretend to be a financial adviser, it’s clear the situation for mortgage holders is changing quickly. The Bank of…
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