In this highly competitive world we live in today, companies are offering all sorts of incentives to their customers, in a bid to win them over. The good news for us is, this means a whole lot of freebies on offer, if you know where to look.
Below we’ve shared some of the best FREE tools and services on offer, to help build you property portfolio.
OPES Partners - A great first step for anyone thinking about saving for retirement through investment property. OPES have registered financial advisors who will come to your door, look at your personal finances, offer investment advice, structure your taxes efficiently, and basically hold your hand through the entire process of purchasing your first rental property.
New Zealand Home Loans - This is a great free service for anyone who has a mortgage. NZ Home Loans will restructure your mortgage to ensure you’re not paying more than you should be. Best of all, they’re paid by the banks, so it’s all free baby!
Mortgage Calculators - Most banks offer mortgage calculators on their websites. They’re great for getting a rough idea of how much you can borrow, or how much your repayments might be. We recommend Westpac’s property investment calculator for a more in-depth analysis of a particular property as a viable investment, as it takes information such as capital gains, rental income and chattel depreciation into account. Check it out here… http://www.westpac.co.nz/home-loans/calculators/property-investment-calculator/
Q&A - If you’re already a landlord, and managing the property yourself, www.landlords.co.nz have a questions & answers service which is sponsored by industry experts.
Seminars - There are often free seminars happening around Christchurch and it’s definitely worth attending at least one of them. They can be really motivating, and often explain property investment in very simple terms. Stay tuned to Christchurch Property Investment Club’s Facebook Page, for updates on the next seminar near you. The best ones will usually offer free food and drink too!
Information - It’s everywhere! The important thing is to get the basics right, and get advice from the right people. At Christchurch Property Investment Club, we aim to weed out the junk, to deliver only what’s really important to know, without over-complicating things. Here are a few of our favourite information tools which might come in handy:
TradeMe Price Index - For the latest sales and rent statistics broken down by region. http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/price-index/
Zoodle - Offers free property information, including useful summaries of Christchurch suburbs, relevant school zones, and house/land sizes. NB: More specific property information can come at a cost.
Christchurch City Council - Find out the government valuation of any property you’re interested in.
Rental Appraisals - Most property managers will give you a free rental appraisal in an effort to gain your business. It’s not an exact science, but we’ve had impressive results from Maryanne Dick, who runs Venture Management here in Christchurch.
Brokers - Why would you do the running around looking for the best insurance or finance deal, when there are brokers who will do it for you, and don’t charge you a cent? Using a broker is much easier, and often their network of suppliers will deliver a more competitive price for you. We recommend AON Insurance Brokers, and Tony Mounce Mortgages has a great reputation for delivering the best mortgage options in Christchurch.
