The Mortgage Advisor

31/05/2026

House hunting always involves a little compromise!

What’s one thing you thought was a must-have in a home that you ended up letting go of?

28/05/2026

If you're a first home buyer, here's a (not-so) little something for you to ponder this evening 👇

Most people start with the question: “How much will the bank lend us?”

But the better question is: “How much do we actually feel comfortable borrowing?”

When I sit down with clients, we always talk about affordability - not just borrowing capacity.

Because knowing your upper limit is one thing…
Knowing what genuinely fits your lifestyle is another.

Before you ask what you can borrow, ask yourself:

What would the weekly repayments look like?

Would that allow you to still live the life you enjoy?

Are you prepared to compromise on anything lifestyle wise?

How would things feel if interest rates moved up again during your mortgage (because at some point, they will)?

It’s also easy to forget the extras: rates, insurance, maintenance… all those real-life costs that come with homeownership.

So instead of stretching to the maximum the bank will offer, focus on the number that lets you sleep well at night and feel confident long-term.

And if you need a hand with that? We're always happy to help 👇

https://www.themortgageadvisor.co.nz/lets-chat/

20/05/2026

If you’re wondering what we've been helping the most people with lately?

It’s refinancing. And for good reason.

With more clients coming off fixed rates, many are checking in to see whether they could:

✅ Lock in a sharper deal
✅ Access a cash incentive to move lenders
✅ Restructure their mortgage to suit their current goals

Because your mortgage finance shouldn’t be a set-and-forget situation.

When the market or your situation shifts, your loan should shift with you.

There’s a lot more to it than just a shiny rate - and trusted advice goes a long way.

If your rate’s due to roll soon, or you’ve been meaning to check if you’re still on the right track, now’s a great time.

Let’s take a look and see how we can help you reach your financial goals, faster 👇

https://www.themortgageadvisor.co.nz/lets-chat/

19/05/2026

Before Rhonda headed off on her adventure, she pointed me in the direction of Frances Cook - Journalist page - and I've been keeping an eye on it ever since.

Frances is an independent financial journalist and host of the Making Cents podcast, and she consistently puts out really practical, no-nonsense content around money.

One of her latest posts caught my eye - 10 things she wishes she knew before she started investing. With so many people thinking about money right now and how to make more of it, the timing felt right to share it.

If you're someone who already invests, I'd love to know - is there anything you'd add to her list? Drop it in the comments. 👇

Kristen

14/05/2026

The one thing on everyone's mind right now? Money.

And while we can't control the economy or whether a pay rise lands this year, there are a few things often sitting quietly in your pay packet that are worth a closer look.

KiwiSaver contribution rates that don't match your employer's cap. Salary sacrifice schemes most people have never heard of. Employee benefits that have been sitting unread in an inbox since day one.

This is a really practical read from Katie Wesney - and the kind of thing that takes a bit of homework but can make a genuine difference over time.

Worth a read 👇

Here are four small tweaks you could make to benefit your finances

13/05/2026

Things have been a little quiet on here since Rhonda headed off on her European adventure - otherwise known as a 50-year-old's OE 😄

I've been busy working away in the background keeping things ticking along. Business as usual behind the scenes, just a different person getting to grips with Facebook 🤔

Before Rhonda left, she was running a series sharing real advice and experiences from her community - the things people wish they'd known before buying their first home.

It's been a great series and I thought it was worth keeping it going.

Here's today's one, from Aaron 👇

And yes, he's 100% right.

Minimum repayments are exactly that - the minimum.

Most loans allow you to pay more, and even modest increases or occasional lump sum payments can make a meaningful difference over the life of a mortgage.

Simple once you know it, easy to miss if nobody tells you.

If you'd like to talk through how your loan is structured and whether there's an opportunity to get ahead on it, feel free to get in touch 👇

https://www.themortgageadvisor.co.nz/lets-chat/

Kristen

04/05/2026

"Outstanding service from start to finish!!! Rhonda was the best mortgage broker who was very patient with us, explained each step clearly, and was always happy to answer questions. Her knowledge and support made the entire mortgage process straightforward and stress-free. Highly recommend!!!" - Juliet

Juliet, thank you - this made my day.

Getting the process right matters, but so does how it feels along the way. First-home buying, refinancing, upsizing - whatever the chapter, it should feel clear and manageable, not stressful and confusing.

Knowing that's what Juliet experienced is exactly what I'm here for.

If you've been thinking about getting your mortgage sorted and aren't sure where to start, feel free to get in touch 😊

https://www.themortgageadvisor.co.nz/lets-chat/

30/04/2026

I've been a little quiet on here, because today I'm off to Europe - back 20 July.

While I'm away, Kristen O'Meara (pictured) will be looking after things here at The Mortgage Advisor - and it is very much business as usual.

Some of you will already know Kristen. What you may not know is that she holds a Level 5 financial services qualification and has a background in banking and previous experience working in a mortgage advisory role. She understands the process inside and out and genuinely cares about getting the right outcomes for clients.

Kristen will be your first point of contact while I'm away. You're in good hands. She knows this business and she knows how I work.

Feel free to get in touch with Kristen directly while I'm away 👇

https://www.themortgageadvisor.co.nz/kristen-omeara/

Catch you when I'm back,

Rhonda 💛

24/04/2026

A great way to end the week.
Sun and champagne!

Thank you to Nikki, Paul and Jack.

23/04/2026

Jared and Railyn have been clients of mine for a while now - and it's always a good feeling when you get to help long-term clients through a new chapter.

This one involved keeping their Wellington home as a rental and financing a move to the Wairarapa. A few moving parts to work through, but we got there.

Here's what they had to say 👇

"A massive thank you for all your help with sorting out the financing with ASB for us. We honestly weren’t sure how we’d get everything across the line, but you made that whole side of things so much more manageable. We really appreciated you being there to bounce things off of at all hours of the day. We’re happy to now be moved in and getting settled. Thanks again for all the hard work and for being so supportive of us."

The "at all hours of the day" part made me smile. That's just part of the job when the timing matters and the stakes feel high.

Congratulations you two - enjoy the Wairarapa 🏡