Foundation of Trust
We assess whether switching banks makes sense for your whole financial position, not just the mortgage in isolation. If refinancing is the right move, we manage the process from start to finish. If it isn’t, we’ll say so.
Your total financial picture
Most mortgage brokers look at lending alone. We look at how your mortgage fits alongside your investments, insurance, and long-term goals. Your refinancing recommendation is built around your whole financial plan, not a single transaction.
Designed for you
You receive a bespoke recommendation built for your goals. Since our ownership is independent of any product provider, your plan is supported by a model designed to reduce the outcome-linked incentives present in some advice firms.
Boutique advice on a national scale
Your adviser is backed by a team licensed professionals who review every recommendation before it reaches you. Connect via video call, or in-person at our Auckland and Christchurch offices.
Foundation of trust
You join thousands of New Zealanders who trust our advice across more than $1 billion in funds under advice, including members of major government departments and leading NZX and ASX-listed companies nationwide.
Why Refinancing Deserves a Second Look
Most homeowners accept whatever their bank offers when a fixed term expires. It feels easier. But easier and smarter are rarely the same thing.
Banks invest heavily in acquiring new customers. The offers available to new borrowers, including lower rates and cash contributions, often outstrip what existing customers receive. A well-timed refinance can deliver better terms and a mortgage structure suited to the life you’re living now, not the one you planned five years ago.
The real value goes beyond rate shopping. Refinancing is an opportunity to restructure your lending so it actively works toward building your wealth. The right structure can help you repay your mortgage years faster, free up surplus to invest, consolidate expensive debt at a lower rate, or release equity for a renovation or investment property.
When Refinancing Makes Sense
Switching banks is not always the right move. But it often is when:
- Your fixed rate is about to expire and your bank’s refix offer looks uninspiring.
- Your income or circumstances have changed and your current loan structure no longer fits.
- You want to consolidate higher-interest debt (credit cards, car loans, personal loans) into your home loan at a lower rate.
- You need to release equity for a renovation, a deposit on an investment property, or another purpose.
- You are paying for loan features you don’t use, or missing features you need.
- Your repayments could be directed more effectively, for example by shortening the loan term or freeing up surplus to invest elsewhere.
If none of these apply, staying with your current lender and refixing or restructuring may be the better option. We’ll help you assess both paths.
Understanding the Costs
Refinancing is not free. But in many cases the savings comfortably outweigh the costs.
Leaving your current lender may involve break fees if you’re exiting a fixed term early, clawback of any previous cash contributions, and discharge fees.
Joining a new lender typically involves legal and conveyancing fees, a property valuation, and potentially a low-equity margin if your loan-to-value ratio exceeds 80%.
Offsetting these costs: the new lender will often offer a cash contribution. In many cases this alone covers the cost of switching and still leaves money in your hand.
The critical question is whether the net benefit over the life of the loan justifies the upfront costs. This is exactly the calculation our lending team runs for you, modelling multiple scenarios so you can make a confident, informed decision.
