http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz en-us Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:19:08 +1300 Rocketspark http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171543/more-choice-less-urgency-in-the-housing-market/ New Zealand's housing market remained relatively subdued through August, with higher inventory, fewer sales and longer selling times giving buyers more choice in many parts of the country.According to the REINZ August 2026 Property Report, the national median sale price was $750,000, down 1.3% from August 2025. There were 5,430 sales during the month, 13.0% fewer than a year earlier.More properties are availableREINZ recorded 32,908 properties in inventory, up 9.7% year-on-year. At the same time... Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:10:45 +1300 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171543 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171542/why-your-available-home-equity-isnt-necessarily-the-amount-you-can-borrow/ If your home has increased in value or you have paid down a good portion of your mortgage, you may have built up equity. That can create options, but it does not necessarily mean the full amount of that equity is available to borrow.When you apply to borrow more money, a lender generally looks at both the property and your ability to manage the additional debt. This means two homeowners with a similar amount of equity could still have quite different borrowing options.What is home equity?In simp... Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:09:45 +1300 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171542 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171540/redefining-retirement-planning-for-the-in-between-years/ Retirement is often thought of as a single moment.One day you are working, and the next you are retired. For some people, that is still the case. But for many, retirement is becoming more gradual.Instead of stopping work all at once, people may reduce their hours, shift into consulting, start part-time work, volunteer, or take on different responsibilities.This creates an in-between stage that can be just as important to plan for as retirement itself.Retirement can happen graduallyA gradual tran... Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171540 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171541/understanding-investment-risk-why-risk-is-not-always-a-bad-thing/ Risk can sound like something to avoid.When people hear the word risk, they may think of losing money, uncertainty, or making the wrong decision. In investing, however, risk is not automatically bad.Risk is part of investing. The key is understanding what type of risk is being taken, why it is being taken, and whether it fits the investor’s goals and timeframe.Risk and return are linkedInvestments that have the potential for higher long-term returns usually also come with more short-term movem... Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171541 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171539/mortgage-rates-are-moving-again-what-borrowers-can-do-now/ Mortgage rates are beginning to move again, following a period when many borrowers had become more accustomed to rates easing.Stats NZ reported that annual inflation reached 4.1% in the June 2026 quarter, up from a 3.1% increase in March. Fuel prices were a major contributor, and Stats NZ noted that annual inflation would have been 2.9% if petrol and diesel prices had remained unchanged.While one quarter of data does not determine mortgage pricing on its own, higher inflation can affect expectat... Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171539 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171538/why-household-financial-protection-matters/ When one person becomes seriously ill or injured, the impact is rarely limited to that person alone.Partners, children, and wider family members may also be affected. Routines can change quickly, work hours may need to shift, and household responsibilities can become harder to manage.This is where personal insurance can play an important role.A partner may need to step inIf someone is recovering from illness or injury, their partner may need to take on more.That could include driving to appointm... Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171538 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171545/investing-well-is-often-about-the-habits-you-keep/ Investment markets attract a lot of attention.Headlines often focus on what markets did today, which asset class is performing best, or what might happen next. While market movements are part of investing, long-term outcomes are also shaped by investor behaviour.In many cases, the habits people build can matter just as much as the headlines they read.Regular contributions can make a differenceFor many investors, long-term wealth is built gradually.Regular contributions, whether through a KiwiSav... Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171545 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/post/171544/why-your-investment-timeframe-matters/ When people think about investing, they often focus on performance.It is natural to ask whether investment values are going up or down, especially when markets are in the news. But one of the most important parts of investing is not just what is happening today. It is how long the money is intended to stay invested.That is where investment timeframe matters.Short-term and long-term money are differentMoney needed to be used soon is usually treated differently from money set aside for a longer te... Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.discoveryfinancialservices.co.nz/blog/#post171544