Middle class, sometimes low net worth people run our labour force, including the public sector for essential services. Police, fire fighters, teachers, nurses, even doctors, are struggling to get a home in supply-starved Auckland – so they move to the regions. Net result: our schools, hospitals, first responders, and our local businesses in Auckland can't get or retain the ... More 

Having got 2013's problems under control (as addressed in my previous blog), now is the time to make a plan for 2014 so it will be a year of reinvention and forward progress, rather than a repeat or worsening of the challenges of last year.   Key drivers In order to grow your business and move forward in 2014, ... More 

I get asked this question on a regular basis. The answer is simple: yes you should pay the principal off your loan. But then the question arises, which loan should I pay first, investment or personal? And, how much should I pay? You should always pay off your personal loan first as this is non-deductible for tax purposes. Unlike ... More 

We can help you do good things with your business numbers! Not Harry Potter-style magic nor even delivering the right lottery numbers, but simply making sure that you have a clear picture of your business' financial performance when you need it, at a cost which you can afford.I cannot stress enough that having the right financial information can make ... More 

As you may be aware, there is a new law that requires all tenanted homes to be insulated by 1 July 2019. Anyone who owns rental property must ensure their properties are insulated to the required standard by this date. At GRA we’ve been getting a lot of questions about whether the cost of insulating a rental property is ... More 

It is a requirement in New Zealand for parties to provide their IRD numbers when buying or selling real estate (whether as an individual or through another entity such as a company or trust). Normally this does not pose any sort of problem. However, there will be significant issues if you are selling a property that has been generating ... More 

The general consensus of opinion is interest rates are on the way down but the big questions still remain: when will the cuts come and how low will the rates go?  BACKGROUND On 10 September 2015 the Reserve Bank of New Zealand ("RBNZ") cut the Official Cash Rate ("OCR") from 3% to 2.75%.  For many people, this was a ... More 

It’s been an interesting start to 2017 with a much tighter credit market than what we have seen for most of the last decade. While the majority of the media have been concentrating on the fact that the market seems to have slowed since the 40% deposit rule introduction, I put more down to banks themselves pulling back in ... More 

At Property Ventures we are increasing our focus on new builds as investments because we see tremendous advantages from a financing perspective. Not only do investors get pristine new and low maintenance properties in better areas, they get the benefit of 80% LVRs and tax advantages from higher chattel depreciation.   These smart tax and finance benefits make investing ... More