The Mortgage Advisor

30/10/2026

Don't say I didn't warn you 💀

Happy Halloween 🎃

28/10/2026

If you saw my fairy godmother post on Tuesday, this one's for you...

If you could wave a magic wand ✨ and change one thing about your current living situation, what would it be?

Maybe it’s more space, a quiet spot to work, or that dream kitchen you’ve been pinning ideas for… Or maybe it’s the big one: finally getting the keys to your first home!

Whatever it is, I'd love to hear - drop your wish below! 🏡💭

27/10/2026

If there’s one thing I know from a fair few years in this mortgage game, it’s that there are a lot of people out there paying rent every month while quietly building a TradeMe wishlist of homes they’d love to call their own one day.

Telling themselves it’s not possible yet. Maybe next year. Maybe when things settle down.

What I find, more often than not, is that people are closer than they think. They just don’t know that until they’ve actually had the conversation.

So if home ownership feels a long way off right now (or even impossible) maybe it’s time to find out where you actually stand.

There’s a reason someone once called me the fairy godmother of mortgages ✨

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

Rhonda

25/10/2026

Christmas is just around the corner - and for a lot of people, that comes with a familiar kind of financial stress.

If you’re heading into the silly season with credit cards that are looking a little worse for wear, savings that didn’t quite stretch as far as you’d hoped, or a general sense that money feels tight - it might be worth knowing that a conversation about your home loan could help more than you’d expect.

For homeowners, there are sometimes options to tidy things up in a way that reduces pressure, lowers what you’re paying across your debts and gives you a bit more breathing room month to month.

And it’s not just about getting through this Christmas. The right advice now can mean that this time next year feels very different.

If the financial side of Christmas is weighing on you, I’m always happy to have a no-pressure chat 👇

📧 [email protected]

19/10/2026

After reposting my election question on Sunday evening, I thought you might be interested in a mortgage advisor’s perspective.

The election outcome is unlikely to change your personal financial position as much as you think.

Interest rates, lending criteria, house prices - these things move based on a much wider set of factors than who wins on election night. And the policy changes that do come through rarely happen overnight.

What does make a difference is where you’re at with your own situation. Your deposit, your income, your structure, your goals. Those things don’t pause for an election - and neither does the opportunity that a quieter market presents right now.

Getting clear on your own numbers and making a decision based on that is always time well spent - whatever the political climate.

If you’ve been waiting for the election to pass before making a move, I’d gently suggest that a conversation now might be more useful than you’d expect.

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

Rhonda 😊

18/10/2026

I posted this question back in early September and it was met with radio silence 😄

Which is fair enough - nobody really wants to (openly) talk politics.

But with the election just around the corner, it’s still on my mind.

Over the past month or so I’ve had a number of people tell me they’re putting property decisions on hold until after the election. Buying, selling, loan top-ups - the response is often the same: “I just want to see what happens first.”

I promise this isn’t a political post. I’m still just really curious - is that you right now? And what is it specifically about the election outcome that would change your decision?

No judgement here at all. Drop it in the comments 👇 (if you're brave enough this time 😉).

Rhonda

14/10/2026

NZ banks make nearly $20 million in collective net profit every single day.

And look - we need a strong banking system. That’s not the point.

The point is that a portion of that profit comes from people who take out a mortgage and then largely forget about it. They refix when the letter arrives, accept what they’re offered and move on.

Meanwhile their income has changed, their equity has grown and better options may well be available to them.

A mortgage is likely one of the biggest financial commitments of your life. It’s worth more than a quick refix every year or two.

5 things worth doing to make sure your mortgage is working for you 👇

1️⃣ Review your lending structure, not just your interest rate.

2️⃣ Check whether you’re making the most of your equity.

3️⃣ Look at whether an offset or revolving credit facility could reduce your interest.

4️⃣ Consider increasing your repayments - even small amounts add up over time.

5️⃣ Compare what other lenders are offering - loyalty doesn’t always pay.

If you haven’t reviewed your lending in a while, you know were to find me 😉

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

11/10/2026

Following on from the article I shared last night about helping your children into their first home - this one from Duncan Cotterill is worth a read too.

Nearly 50% of young Kiwis aged between 18 and 39 see family assistance as the only realistic path to home ownership. The Bank of Mum and Dad is well and truly open for business.

But good intentions without the right planning can create real problems down the track - for parents and children alike. This article covers some of the things worth thinking through before any money changes hands: formalising agreements, relationship property considerations, the impact on residential care subsidies and guarantees.

It's practical, straightforward and the kind of read that could save a lot of family drama later on.

As always - please make sure you speak to your lawyer and accountant before making any decisions.

Nearly 50% of young Kiwis aged between 18 and 39 years old view assistance from family as the only feasible path to home ownership. Whether it is a contribution toward a deposit, help with bridging a shortfall, or funding renovations on a first home, the "Bank of Mum & Dad" is one of the most active...

11/10/2026

If you're a parent wondering how you can help your child into their first home, this is a really useful read.

The team at Duncan Cotterill have put together a practical breakdown of exactly this topic. Because whether you're considering a gift, a loan, going guarantor or co-purchasing, the way you structure that support matters more than most people realise - both for you and for your child.

I've linked the article below. Worth a read if this has been on your mind.

As always - please make sure you talk to your lawyer and accountant before making any decisions. Getting the right advice early can save a lot of headaches down the track.

And if you'd like to understand how parental support can work from a lending perspective, I'm always happy to talk that side through.

With house prices continuing to stretch many first-home buyers, it is increasingly common for parents to help adult children into the property market. That support may take different forms: a deposit contribution, an interest-free or low-interest loan, allowing children to live at home while they sa...

07/10/2026

One of the most common things I hear from first-home buyers is some version of: "We don't think we're ready yet."

And sometimes that's true. But in my experience, most people are closer than they think.

There's a big difference between not being ready and assuming you're not ready - and the only way to know which one you're dealing with is to find out.

If you're curious about where you actually stand, I'm always happy to have a no-pressure chat.

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

Rhonda