Harnessing Asset Finance   Are you a business owner with ambition and plans to expand, upgrade gear, or stay competitive in your industry? If so, you’ve likely come across the challenge of funding these ambitions. But fear not! One funding avenue that can be a big or even bigger growth & cash flow lever for your business is asset finance. In this comprehensive blog, we’ll dive into the world of asset finance and explore how it can be a game-changer for your business aspirations. Getting to Grips with Asset Finance Here at Float Financial Advisers, we’re the go-to pros for top-notch ..read more

Now is a great time to be keeping the banks honest ? If your mortgage is up for renewal and you haven’t received a cashback from the bank for a few years, looking at your options could be a great way to life-hack a little bit of the costs of living increases. Non-advertised offers like a 4.99% 1 year fixed rate Now is the perfect time to be shopping around and keeping the big banks honest. In the last week, non-advertised offers like a 4.99% 1-year fixed interest rate from one major bank and 5.99% 18-month and 2-year fixed rates with a 1% cashback from another major bank are out there ..read more

Protect Your Family with Health Insurance The New Zealand public medical system is facing unprecedented challenges, with stretched staffing, under-resourcing, and long wait times for treatment. In the last two years, the number of people waiting more than four months for treatment has tripled from 8,153 to 26,800 and counting. Additionally, over 13,000 surgeries have been cancelled in the last 11 months, including life-changing cancer surgeries. 13,000 surgeries have been cancelled in the last 11 months The situation is dire, and unfortunately, it is not likely to improve anytime soon ..read more

Live sustainably and increase your possible mortgage size It may seem counterintuitive but spending money now so you can live more sustainably, will actually improve your borrowing capacity. The idea being, your future expenses will be less, so the bank will be more comfortable lending you more. Still confused? Here are a few examples. Lower future expenses = higher mortgage size 1. Going electric An electric vehicle is a great place to start especially with petrol now topping $3 a litre. Not only will your petrol bill be zero, but the registration cost for electric cars is also a lo ..read more

You’re not buying insurance, you’re buying peace of mind Many people see insurance as a necessary evil. Something you throw money at each month largely for nothing. “If I don’t claim anything, I don’t get my money’s worth.” But I would suggest the opposite is true – it’s just about perspective. Having insurance means you can fall asleep knowing your family will be protected for anything. If you get sick and are unable to work, or if the worst should happen and you die, your loved ones will be looked after financially. Never claiming on your covers, means you’ve won. You’re living a healthy ..read more

WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING A MORTGAGE, WHY USE A FINANCIAL ADVISER? When you want to get a mortgage, you have two options: ask the bank directly, or use a financial adviser. Of course, it’s possible to do it alone, but there are many reasons why it’s better to have a financial adviser in your corner. A FINANCIAL ADVISER IS AN EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THINGS MORTGAGES Our full-time job is to stay up to date with every bank’s most current prices and policies. With a financial adviser, you’ll get the best possible mortgage deal without having to spend your own time trawling through pages and p ..read more

You can secure a mortgage with as little as 5% deposit, here’s the lowdown. First home buyers now have an extra lending option off the back of last month’s budget, with the Government making significant changes to the First Home Loan scheme or the “5% deposit loan”.   What does this mean for first home buyers? Under current bank policy, it’s very tough to get a mortgage if you have less than a 20% deposit, so the amended Government backed initiative called ‘First Home Loan’ will hopefully allow more first home buyers to get on the property ladder. This is how it works  You must be a ..read more

The Government just released its budget for the year. We dive into the details to see what new help there is for first home buyers (if any) 1. Price caps for First Home Grants have increased Around the country, the Government has “lifted” the house price caps for first home grants. (The first home grant gives kiwisaver members up to $10,000 towards their deposit) You can see the previous and current caps here for purchasing existing and new build properties. In some areas of the country, the cap has gone up as high as $925,000. While helpful, in reality, the rise in cap barely covers the massi ..read more

BUYING AT AUCTION IN A “BUYER’S MARKET” The property market is now a buyers market – so what does this mean if you’re the buyer? Despite the changing landscape, around 40 percent of properties in Auckland are still being listed for auction initially. Around the country that number is around 25 percent. This may change as more and more houses fail to sell, but for now, if the house you want is being sold by auction, here’s a few things to keep in mind. PRE-AUCTION  Try to understand the vendor’s position.  A few months ago sellers were getting record prices for their houses, and s ..read more