Saving a 20% deposit for your first home when rents are high and food and lifestyle costs are at record levels can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. The good news is that home ownership with a 5% deposit is possible. Keep reading to find out how.

In a significant development for the New Zealand property market, the Reserve Bank is set to implement new debt-to-income (DTI) restrictions on mortgage lending. Explore what DTI ratios mean, how they are calculated, and their implications for investors and first-time home buyers here:

Being self-employed offers numerous advantages and freedom. However, it also comes with added pressure and responsibilities if you want to get on the property ladder. If you are self-employed and looking to buy your first home, here are five essential tips to navigate the process successfully.

Dreaming of owning a home? Investing in your property is not just a milestone but a rewarding journey that offers stability, financial security, and pride. In this article, you will learn the benefits of owning your home.

Ready to invest in your first home and need guidance on whether to work with a mortgage advisor or not? Keep reading to explore the role of a mortgage advisor and why working with one can help you as a first-time homebuyer.

New Zealand is often said to not have a capital gains tax, however we do have some laws, like the bright-line property rule that act in a very similar manner. The bright-line rule was introduced as a way to tax the profits of residential property investors and speculators if they sell within the test period.

Establishing the right structure for your home loan is an important step in achieving your financial goals. It can provide you with the flexibility to make additional payments, reduce exposure to interest rate fluctuations and even minimise your interest costs. So, how should you structure your mortgage? Unfortunately there’s no one-size-fits-all approach as everyone’s situation and risk profile is different, however, we’ve shared some information below that our clients have found useful. For advice tailored to your situation, book in a free, no-obligation chat .

You must have heard a lot from work colleagues, family, or friends that they have used their existing property's equity to purchase another investment property.

If you’re thinking about refinancing - to pay less interest or get a smarter loan structure - this article is for you.

Interest rates are a hot topic at the moment, in this blog we discuss current interest rates and forecasted interest rates in the coming years.

If you have not reviewed your existing mortgages in the last 6-12 months, now would be a perfect time to get this done especially if you are coming for rate renewal in the next 6-12 months. Moving from a lower rate to a higher rate will have a significant impact to anyone's cash flow, this could effect things like going on holidays, buying a new car or even limiting your discretionary expenditure. Don't let your mortgage payments take control of your life style !

Interest rates are a crucial aspect of the financial system that affect everything from mortgages and car loans to savings accounts and credit cards

At Benchmark we want the process of securing funding to be as seamless as possible and this is what our clients experienced when they were on holiday overseas for several months while we secured the funding and got their project underway.

This blog discusses different types of construction contracts available to customers and how banks assess each particular contract for construction funding.

Next topic we cover in our "Thinking Like Bankers" series is income assessment

Our mission at Benchmark is to grow and protect our clients' wealth through better, smarter financial advice and the following case study is a great example of how we deliver on this. We set down with our clients, understood their short and long-term goals, and devised a strategy to secure funding for both stages.

Are you ready to purchase your first home, but feeling overwhelmed by the idea of saving for a 20% deposit, especially in larger cities like Auckland?

Thinking Like Bankers: Part 1 – Understanding Loan Servicing and the Loan-to-Value Ratio