Decorating our homes for the festive season is a highlight of the year for many of us, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for family and friends. But finding the right Christmas tree and most suitable decorations can be challenging if you’re in a small apartment or house. It’s a little deflating to buy the…
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At the end of a challenging year, many homeowners will be looking forward to kicking back and enjoying this Christmas and the summer holidays. One of the great ways to celebrate the festive season is to hang lights in your front yard, brightening the summer evenings not just for yourself but neighbours and passers-by, too.…
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With 2023 fast approaching, it’s that time of year when we consider our New Year’s resolutions, or whether we should bother at all having failed countless times before! If you’re one of the many who pledged, but never bothered to: lose weight, go jogging in your lunch hour or stop smoking, then we’ve got a…
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It’s that time again when family and friends ask about New Year’s resolutions. It’s an old chestnut of a conversation, even though most of us are hopeless at keeping the well-meaning promises we make for ourselves. So, how about this year trying something new and focusing on managing your mortgage? With interest rates rising faster…
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Selling your home takes time to plan, it’s not just about organising your preferred agent and solicitor, and perhaps refinancing for your next property. To maximise the value of your home (and who doesn’t want to do that?) you also need to think carefully about potential renovations and aesthetic improvements. We’ve outlined five simple finishing…
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One of the best strategies as a seller is to put yourself into a buyer’s shoes and ask what would make you buy your property in the current market. You might ponder how your property currently stacks up against similar homes for sale in the local area and whether the recent uptick in interest rates…
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New Zealand’s financial system is well placed to handle the challenging economic environment, according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. In its most recent Financial Stability Report, released earlier this month, the Reserve Bank noted that conditions were becoming more challenging, with interest rates rising and the economy likely to slow. “Despite these challenges,…
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New Zealand’s banks have promised to be sympathetic and supportive to borrowers who may face financial stress due to rising interest rates. In its most recent Financial Stability Report, released earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said that while the financial system was in good shape (see previous story), rising interest rates…
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Despite the national average asking price hovering around $920,000 in October, buyers can enter the market at a much lower price, according to realestate.co.nz. The most common price range search on realestate.co.nz is between $600,000 and $800,000, which indicates many people’s budget. In October, six regions across New Zealand had average asking prices sitting under…
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With property prices falling in much of New Zealand, conditions have arguably turned in favour of first home buyers. That might be why CoreLogic analysis has found that first home buyer market share has been increasing. First home buyers made 23% of purchases over the first half of the year and 24% in the third…
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