Now that you have moved into your new home, is the garden thriving? If your plants are not looking as fresh and healthy as they were when you inspected the property, it may be as simple as reviewing your watering schedule. Check out these handy hints to help bring the garden back to life. Early…
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Decluttering your home is an essential task when preparing for a sale. A clear-out will create additional space that buyers love, and it will give you the best chance to maximise the value of your property. Target areas should include the living room, kitchen and children’s bedrooms, all of which tend to be magnets for…
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One of the big reasons to use mortgage advisers, rather than go direct-to-lender, is because they give you more choice. And one big way in which advisers offer more choice is by including non-bank lending institutions on their home loan panel. As the name suggests, non-bank lending institutions do offer loans but don’t have a…
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New and existing build-to-rent developments will now be exempt from the interest limitation rules that recently came into force. Since 1 October 2021, it has no longer been possible to claim interest for residential property acquired on or after 27 March 2021. For properties acquired before 27 March 2021, the ability to deduct interest is…
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As interest rates rise, it’s possible New Zealand will experience an increase in ‘mortgagee sales’, which presents both opportunities and risks for buyers. A mortgage sale is when a borrower defaults on their mortgage, causing the lender (i.e. the mortgagee) to seize and sell the property. For buyers, the big upside to acquiring a home…
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Property investors throughout most parts of New Zealand are enjoying gains in their rental income, but those increases are occurring at decreasing rates. Rents rose by 4.0% (as per the flow measure) in the year to July 2022, according to the most recent data from Stats NZ. That was down from 4.9% year-on-year growth in…
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Thanks to La Nina, the recent weather patterns have made it hard to believe spring has actually sprung, and that we’re at the start of the peak real estate selling season. One of the most common questions asked of a real estate agent is why spring is the best time of year to sell? At…
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Inflation and rising fuel prices are now impacting our utility bills, and you’ll likely have seen a steep increase in the cost of gas and electricity in the past few months. But, unlike the price of broccoli or petrol, there is something you can do to help reduce the running costs of your home. As…
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If you’re preparing to sell your home now the spring sales season has arrived, you should not underestimate the impact on prospective buyers of a bountiful garden full of colour. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, planting a few annuals to fill gaps in your flower beds will give your home an extra…
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As many sellers consider investing in renovations to maximise the value of their property before it goes on the market, understanding how to best work with tradespeople will help to achieve an outstanding result. Talking to an agent before starting a major renovation is also a good idea. You should seek advice on potential improvements…
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