The last month before the Immigration Advisers Licencing Act 2007 comes into force. This Act requires that anyone who provides immigration advice in New Zealand must have a licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority, unless they are exempt from the requirement to hold a licence. From 4 May 2009, Immigration New Zealand will refuse to accept applications from unlicensed onshore advisers. From 4 May 2010, offshore advisers giving advice to people seeking visas or permits will also have to be licensed.

Is your Immigration Adviser licenced by the NZ Government? Click here for details www.iaa.govt.nz

Home affordability is improving. The fall in interest rates has made a big difference in terms of household cashflow for many borrowers. If you took out a $200,000 home loan on a floating rate now, you’d be paying $572.83 less in repayments each month than if you’d borrowed the same amount on a floating rate one year ago. Those on a floating rate at the moment may like to take advantage of this by keeping repayments at previous levels rather than reducing them along with the falls in interest rates (if they are able to). This will help them reduce the principal faster and pay off their home loan sooner.

More to follow .....