Circumstances change quickly in the current financial environment and you may be unaware that the recent mortgage interest rate changes announced on 9 September have widened the gap between short and long term fixed interest rates. This reflects the changing cost of offshore funds which banks rely on to supplement the funds their local depositors place with them. There has been an easing in the cost of shorter term offshore funding but there is also significant competition in the New Zealand deposit market, which continues to push the rates higher than they would otherwise be.
The result is regular reviews of your mortgage have become more important than ever. Not just to ensure ongoing affordability, but more importantly, to ensure that the structure is appropriate to your current and future needs and goals. Check here how to approach this issue correctly and to put aside some money for a long-term goal.
While having some of your mortgage on a floating rate offers flexibility, it is a facility more suited to those who are in a position to place bulk sums into it to reduce their overall lending to obtain the resulting interest savings, even if only for short periods of time.
Unless you are in a position to clear the majority of your floating rate loan in the short term, it may be more appropriate to change some to a fixed interest rate to provide some certainty going into the future. I do not have a crystal ball but the NZ Treasury predict that short term rates will remain low for the next year and Bank’s have been speculating floating rates will rise back to the 8% level over the next two years.
Now is also good time to check that you are financially protected and prepared for life’s events – planned or unexpected and ultimately I want to help to keep your home in your hands. The last thing you want to see is your home slipping out of your hands, should you be unable to meet your loan repayments. If you died, would you leave behind enough resources to pay off your home loan and safeguard your dependants’ future?
I am available to discuss your investment, insurance, mortgage and KiwiSaver needs in what is a difficult time for many of us at the moment so please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions. My personal email is denis@thorner.co.nz or ph 04 528 8088.
