Financial Services & Mortgages
Mortgage Express Limited is a mortgage adviser company that has been in operation for over 15 years. With access to over 15 lenders and 150 loan products, Mortgage Express believe they can find you a home loan that will be tailored to best suit your needs and requirements.
Trust us
Mortgage Express uses the latest technologies and software to give you comprehensive comparisons of the very best options in the market place. We help you understand the features of each home loan ideal for you so you can make an educated and informed decision. We work for you and not the bank, and will negotiate on your behalf to get that deal right for you.
Funding property requires specialist professional expertise.
Whether you’re an owner/occupier; investor or looking at a development project, putting together the right financial package – one that suits your needs today – as well as your requirements for tomorrow – is imperative.
Buying a House
No matter whether you are buying a home, investment property or bare land, the real estate roller-coaster can take you from despair and stress, to delight and excitement all within the same day. Holmwood consultants know how to smooth out the bumps.
Each consultant is committed to regular contact with their sellers and buyers providing feedback from the market, and answering any questions they may have.
On average 80% of our residential business is referral business. This means that our clients have felt comfortable with our service, and are happy with the results, that they have personally recommended us to their friends, families and colleagues.
We invite you to discover the Holmwood difference.
Starting out on your home ownership journey may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve pulled together a guide to help you started and if you need further information, please contact one of our agents, they will be very happy to help!
Useful Website Links
Christchurch City Council
Find general information on Christchurch & Canterbury region, research property rateable values and useful information on the building consent process.
Christchurch School Zones
Search primary, intermediate and secondary school zones by school or by street.
Buy First or Sell First?
In reality there is no straight-forward or quick answer to this question. What we do know from experience, however, is that every person who has ever wanted to trade up or down has asked him or herself this question.
Is your home going to be easy to sell on the current market?
The average sale time varies not only from city to city but from month to month. We can discuss with you the market conditions at the present time and talk about the possible demand in the market place for your home.
Do you really know what your own home is worth?
You may not know how much you have to spend until you have sold your own home. Often when people start to market their home they jump to conclusions about what their own home is worth and sign up for a new home they think they can afford. They then try unsuccessfully for a long period of time to sell their house at an inflated price. Eventually both contracts lapse.
So what if you sell and don’t find a house?
Once you have sold, you become a cash buyer and offers that you make will be taken more seriously than if you are subject to the sale of your own property. Your negotiating position is stronger. Owners that are not currently on the market may be tempted by a cash buyer to make their property available.
General comment
Overall we can discuss your home and your next move. That way we will really understand your plans and the kind of home you are looking for. Let’s talk about what your plans are and how best to achieve what you want.
Tips First Home Buyers
Saving for a Deposit
The first step in saving for your deposit is to set yourself a savings goal. Lenders ideally require a deposit of at least 20% of the amount you are borrowing. So if you’re buying a house worth $400,000 you’ll need a deposit of at least $80,000. Keep in mind that the bigger your deposit, the less you’ll pay in interest over the long term. Speak with your Mortgage Adviser about other possible options (i.e. the Welcome Home Loan).
Get your Family’s Help
You may be able to borrow a deposit from your parents or use the equity in their home to secure a loan. Depending on interest rates, it’s possible that you could offer them a rate higher than they would get with a term deposit, but lower than your mortgage rate. In some cases, you could look at borrowing the deposit from another financial institution – as long as you have sufficient funds to repay the debt.
Getting a Mortgage
Your first mortgage, or home loan, will probably be the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make. You’ll probably look at dozens of places before you find the home you want to buy. It’s a good idea to be just as careful when choosing your mortgage.
There are many types of mortgages, each with its own interest rate, fees and degree of flexibility. All these things affect how much the loan costs you and when it will be paid off. Again, speak with your Mortgage Adviser to get the broadest range of options.
Get a Flatmate
This is an option worth considering as it will generate extra cash to put towards your mortgage. For example if you had a flatmate paying $120 a week, this gives you an additional $6,240 per year.
Government Help
With a 10% deposit, you may be able to borrow enough to buy a house under the government’s Welcome Home Loan Scheme. If you have been a KiwiSaver member for three years you can withdraw your savings and if you have been contributing to the scheme for at least three years, you may also be eligible for a HomeStart grant. This means that the government could give you up to $5,000 towards an older, existing home, or up to $10,000 towards a newly built home or land to build a new home on. If you’re borrowing with someone else, you can combine your grants, which means you could have up to $20,000 if you were both contributing to KiwiSaver for five years. There are other eligibility criteria to meet, as well as regional house price caps.
Take a Long-Term View of your Purchase
The property market is like a roller-coaster; prices go up and down, but they mainly go up, up, up. If you take the long term view you would be making a very good investment. It doesn’t matter where the cycle is when you enter the market – if you’re in it for the long haul you will reap the rewards.
Moving-In Costs
You will need to keep money aside for things like:
– Moving services – or truck hire if you’re doing it yourself
– Connection fees for phone, power and internet
– Any renovations or decorating you need to do straight away
– Advertising for flatmates or tenants
– Legal expenses and builder’s reports
Real Estate Terms
Like any profession, the real estate industry has a language of its own. Before you put your property on the market it’s a good idea to brush up on the common terms and expressions you may come across.
Auction
The ultimate in marketing options, where you list your property without a price, supported with very intense marketing, leading buyers to the auction day, where they must bid against each other to successfully purchase your home in an unconditional situation.
Auctioneer
Person holding an Auctioneer’s Licence and able to conduct and call auctions.
Chattels
Items you sell with the property, i/.e,. carpets, light fittings, drapes, curtains etc. Any different chattels, such as glasshouses, dishwasher, etc are noted on the contract if they are included in the sale.
CMA
Comparative Market Analysis, i.e., a written price comparison of your property with others that are for sale or were recently sold.
Conditional Contract
A written contract that is signed by the seller and the buyer but where one or more conditions need to be met, usually within a specified time period. For example, subject to the purchaser raising finance within a few days or subject to the solicitors approval of the title.
Certificate of Title
Each individual piece of land in New Zealand has a Certificate of Title which describes the type of title, its suze, the name of the owner(s) and any encumbrances.
Fee
The fee for selling the property – payable by the seller to the real estate sales consultant.
Freehold
A freehold property has a clear title of ownership and is not subject to a lease.
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