Category: Investor Loans

If you have received a quote for development or construction finance, you may have seen a line fee listed alongside the interest rate. It is easy to overlook, but the charging basis and quoted period can materially affect the total cost of a facility. Understanding how a line fee works makes it easier to compare […]

Equity in property can support short-term business funding where a standard bank facility does not fit the timing or structure required. The security may be an investment property, owner-occupied commercial premises or residential property. The amount available depends on the property, existing debt, loan purpose and repayment strategy. Non-bank bridging finance can be useful where […]

True 100% development finance, where a lender funds an entire project with no equity contribution from the developer, is not realistic in the New Zealand market. Lenders generally require the developer to have a meaningful stake in committing capital. It reflects how development risk is shared, and how lenders protect against cost overruns, delays, and […]

Formulating a robust exit strategy is a critical part of the development process. When assessing an application for a development loan, the credibility of a clients’ proposed exit strategy will be reviewed and assessed in detail. There are several ways a developer can exit a construction loan – the most common strategies being: to sell […]

NZ’s largest financial institutions including the RBNZ, Treasury and most major trading banks provide forward guidance on NZ house prices as well as wider-ranging macro forecasts for the housing market. While such predictions make for good reading, they are of limited use when making investment decisions. This is because macro forecasts typically fall into one […]

As a builder or developer, you will know that working in construction means being vulnerable to all kinds of risks, many of which can result in compensation claims or financial loss. The inherently unpredictable and dangerous nature of the work means that you, your employees, sub-contractors, and members of the public are all vulnerable to […]

COVID-19 triggered a global economic recession in 2020, and central banks across the globe reacted by slashing interest rates – a standard practice to prop up liquidity and stimulate the economy. More than a year later, regulators are still holding off on hiking the rates back up due to the continued effects of the pandemic. […]

New Zealand Finance Minister Grant Robertson now requires the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) to consider the impact its monetary policy decisions have on house prices, following a revision to RBNZ’s remit. This has created some significant ripples in the property finance sector. While the Government’s Monetary Policy Committee’s main objectives remain unchanged (targeting inflation and employment), […]

As has long been forecasted, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has now moved to reinstate higher Loan to Value ratios(LVRs). There were no restrictions last year, meaning buyers could potentially purchase a home while putting down a smaller down payment. However, the property market has since boomed, prompting the RBNZ to consult interested […]

COVID-19 has caused widespread disruption across global markets resulting in job losses and economic hardship. In response, countries across the globe have been implementing economic policy to soften the blow of the current crisis. In New Zealand, the Reserve Bank’s response was swift, immediately lowering the OCR from 1% to 0.25%, and announcing (what would […]