Hey, my name is Andrew Duncan.
On my blog, you will find real estate tips, advice and market commentary, along with articles about climate change, plant-based food, personal finance and travel. I love working with nice people, solving problems and living in Wellington, NZ.
A few of my friends and clients have asked me whether it’s a good time to buy and/or sell considering what is going on in the world. Here are my thoughts based on what we know so far… Note: Last updated 24th March 2020. Lockdown announced! This will effectively push a giant ‘pause’ button on nearly all real estate transactions and all the advice below…
Find out what you need to know about a property before you take the plunge and make an unconditional offer. In this episode, I chat with Lindsey Smith, Senior Legal Executive from Rainey Collins to talk about the due diligence process and making unconditional offers. Imagine you have just found a home you want to buy, but you need to do your homework first…
It’s that time of year when we sit down, take stock and decide on our goals for the year. When it comes to real estate, you might be looking to buy your first home, buy an investment property, or renovate your current home. We are here to talk you through how to achieve your property goals for the year ahead. Click on the link below…
Here are 10 key property truths that I have learned throughout my career in real estate. These tips will help you make better decisions when buying and selling real estate. 1. Every property would sell tomorrow if price didn’t matter There is no such thing as an un-saleable property. Every single dwelling in NZ would sell tomorrow at some price. The house is never the…
Is having a house to sell holding you back from moving to your dream home? In this podcast episode, we sit down with mortgage adviser Jenny Cheevers to talk through the different options available when you are buying a home, but already have one you will need to sell. Our conversation includes: – Pros and cons of using bridging finance – Risks of offering ‘subject…
“That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.” – Karl Pearson Are your financial habits helping you get closer to your financial goals? Or moving you further away? Do you have financial goals to start with? Is your KiwiSaver optimised? Do you have the right level of insurance? In this podcast episode, Tim Ellis from Fox Plan talks about what a…
Please note: I am not a qualified financial adviser and the opinions offered here are purely my own. It is critical that you seek professional advice from a solicitor before embarking on any property purchase. Read: Don’t buy a home without speaking to these 5 people first What a scary time it has become for first home buyers, especially if you started looking 12-24 months ago…
I recently interviewed top Wellington mortgage broker Jenny Cheevers to get her thoughts on a few topical real estate finance questions, including: – What’s happening with interest rates? – Should I fix for 1 year or 2 years? – Should I switch banks for one offering 3.95%? – Can I buy a home with only a 10% deposit? – Should I pay off my student…
First up, if you are unsure what we mean by the words conditional vs unconditional, check out this article for a bit of background. Needless to say, making an unconditional offer on a property takes serious effort and investment. The process of making an unconditional offer could (and should) involve: Speaking with your lawyer (asking them to review the title, LIM and offer document). Arranging…
I often get asked about cross-lease properties. It can be a confusing form of ownership, especially if you are new to the process of buying a home. The purpose of this article is to provide you with an understanding of whether cross-lease properties will provide a good real estate investment and/or whether you should avoid them at all costs. Thinking of selling a cross-lease property?…
