September 2017's Property Gazette

How to Avoid Paying Extra Mortgage Fees

Interest rates remain low and the Reserve Bank has recently indicated they do not see them rising soon. While this remains great news for new and existing mortgage holders, there is one small catch…

Banks Are Receiving Lower Margins on Interest Repayments

Banks lend borrowers money to make a profit. No one disputes this, and there’s nothing wrong with it. After all, when we take out a mortgage, we borrow someone else’s money to buy a property. In return, we give them money back in the form of repayments and interest. In the past, this has been perfectly okay with the banks as margins between what they purchase the funds for, and then sell them for has been reasonably profitable. They have taken our interest payments as a profit and been satisfied.

Nowadays the problem is that as the interest rates are so low, the banks are not making as much margin as they would like to. They can’t raise their own interest rates as that would make them less competitive, reducing the number of new borrowers they attract. So instead, they have been reintroducing the ability of charging a fee to new borrowers when they take out a mortgage, or a restructure fee for existing clients looking to change their existing loan structures.

With a fee ranging from several hundred dollars up to a thousand dollars, it’s something borrowers have accepted as part of getting a mortgage. We disagree.

Don’t Pay Extra Fees. Here’s How …

As mortgage brokers, we know the ins and outs of all the lending products on the market. We know which banks charge mortgage establishment fees and which don’t. Before you talk with the bank, talk with us first! It won’t cost you anything – we work for free for you!

If you are not quite sure about the differences between a bank and a broker, then check out our blog and find out which one is best!  Remember, we’re not here to make money from you …

Give us a call on 0508 466 356 or fill in our Contact Page form today.

First Home Buyers Seminar

At the start of August, we were pleased to run a First Home Buyers Seminar in conjunction with Brent Selwyn from Kannangara Thomson, and Kyle Pitman from Harcourts Grenadier. We had a full house of eager first home buyers, armed with plenty of questions around conveyancing, Kiwisaver, and deposit amounts. A big thank you to all who attended and helped make the night a huge success.

Our next First Home Buyers Seminar is being held on the 25th of October. Look out for more details on how to book or contact us for more information. 

  • Absolutely fantastic experience! A friend recommended I see Scott for my first home loan, and he’s been incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire process.
    Leonardo Rosado - 12 November 2025
  • Literally amazing. Was recommended to see Scott about a first home loan by my friend, and he's been super helpful every step of the way!
    Brae Jones - 11 November 2025
  • Scott has been so easy to deal with! Very responsive, thorough and professional. My partner and I couldn’t recommended him enough 
    Monique L - 09 November 2025
  • I highly recommend Greg Miller of Advanced Mortgage Solutions, Chch. I went in for an appointment with Greg to see if it was possible or what I needed to achieve financially in order to purchase my first home, not thinking that a few months later, I would now own my first home. He is very professional and knowledgeable in this field, with clear and understandable communication and very patient with my questions, etc, as well as keeps you up to date all the way through the process. I would recommend Greg to anyone for help in a first home or other mortgage needs or advice. Thank you heaps or everything
    Caroline Sanders - 06 November 2025
  • We worked with Greg from mortgage solutions. Greg is a down to earth guy that made the whole experience stress free. Very professional and easy to communicate with. Highly recommend.
    Rachael Clarke - 03 November 2025