OPINION: In reading economists’ predictions for our economy, one thing seems to be overlooked, or underappreciated: the impact of KiwiSaver. I don’t blame the economists for this, they are paid to predict the next quarter, not the next 20 years. And they tend to think of KiwiSaver money as just another pool of investment savings. But…
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Falling interest rates have had a bigger impact on mortgage payments than they have on house prices, leaving first home buyers better off overall, particularly in Auckland First home buyers in almost all parts of the country have benefited significantly from the sharp fall in mortgage interest rates since the COVID lockdown in March, particularly in…
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Rock-bottom interest rates mean the housing market is booming, bank staff are coping with a barrage of Covid-related customer enquiries, and are nervous about giving mortgages to people who might lose their jobs or their businesses. That adds up to frustratingly long waits for customers wanting a home loan. Once upon a time, it was…
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Mortgage rates could drop below 2 per cent within the next year, economists say, as the world reacts to the fallout from Covid-19. The official cash rate is on hold at 0.25 per cent until March but it is increasingly expected that it could fall into negative territory by April. ASB economists said they had…
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