News and Insights
Keep up with the property market, interest rates, lending rules and other useful updates for anyone who wants to make smarter property and financial decisions.
July/August update | What buyers want, where the market’s moving, and what to expect next
Between winter chills, unexpected tsunami warnings, and banks being as slow as Auckland traffic on a wet Monday, it’s fair to say 2025 is keeping everyone on their toes. Fortunately, there’s plenty happening in the housing and finance world that’s a bit more predictable. Here’s the latest.
OCR held at 3.25%. Is it time to revisit the Reserve Bank’s mandate?
Over the past 12 months, the Reserve Bank has gradually lowered the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 5.50% to 3.25%. While that’s a solid drop, the pace of cuts has been cautious. With inflation falling and economic pressures mounting, many are asking: Why has the RBNZ been so cautious on rate cuts? Part of the answer may lie in a quiet but significant change made late last year. Here’s the full story.
April 2025 update | OCR cut, lending shifts & fresh optimism in the market
Economists have responded positively to the recent OCR cut, with many now predicting deeper cuts ahead than originally forecast. Factors like easing inflation, a slowing global economy, and recent US trade tariff moves are all feeding into those expectations.
Test rates are below 7% - why that’s good news for home loan borrowers
The Reserve Bank cut the OCR this week, and while that’s good news for mortgage holders, here’s what we’re really watching: Most banks have already dropped their floating rates. More interestingly – we’ve just seen a bank drop its test rate to 6.75%. That’s a big shift.