Property Investment Articles

Five energy efficiency upgrades to consider when renovating

When planning a property renovation, it's prudent to consider if energy efficiencies can be made. Energy efficient properties can attract a larger tenant applicant pool. 

Reduce the risk of exemplary fines: Unlawful Landlord actions

The Residential Tenancies Act clearly defines unlawful acts and the maximum exemplary damages that could apply to Landlords who commit unlawful acts. This post explores some of the pitfalls for uneducated private Landlords. 

Investor focus: Interest deductibility

In my latest blog post, I discuss interest deductibility and use a case study from my own investment properties to illustrate the concepts.

Turning property management green; sustainability and iRentProperty

In a world increasingly focused on sustainable practices and environmental responsibility, residential property management is no exception. This article explains how iRentProperty contribute to sustainability. 

Common pitfalls of self-managing Landlords

Our growing property portfolio includes properties handed over to us from self-managing owners who have come to learn the amount of work that can be involved in property management. Here’s some common pitfalls of self-managing landlords.

Fixed-Term Tenancies vs Periodic

Learn about the pros and cons of fixed-term and periodic tenancies. Each comes with different commitments and rules for the landlord to understand.

Methamphetamine: To test or not to test?

Methamphetamine testing as part of tenancy management is a minefield: our industry has been given two different acceptable levels leading to confusion and ambiguity among landlords and tenants.  

Case Study: Adding a Tiny Home for Cashflow

When Kara from the Rotorua team wanted to increase her return without breaking the bank she decided to put a tiny home on her land. 

The Reserve Bank Lowers the OCR

Last week the RBNZ lowered the OCR, finally acknowledging that the economy is in the doldrums. Nick Gentle shares his thoughts on what it means for investors. 

Case study: Major renovation in Rotorua

In this project our team helped our client with the renovation of a 3 bedroom property and found tenants to get a quick return on investment. 

Five things to consider before renovating your rental

To renovate or not to renovate, that is the question! Carrie here shares five things an owner should consider before making the decision to renovate.

Case study: 8.2% GY with Room to Develop

Learn about a deal that one of our agents liked so much that he bought it himself when client opted out. High yield, good area, and room to build.

The interest rate tide is turning

Property Investment Rules are Changing

The coalition government has continued to reset some policies that affect rental property owners. In this article I summarize recently announced changes for interest deductibility, brightline, pets and pet bonds, 90 day no-cause tenancy termination and fixed term tenancies. 

Case Study - Commercial Deal with High Yield

Hamilton in 2024 - Plenty of Reasons to Invest

Hamilton is a proven fantastic location to invest, providing strong long term capital growth and rental demand. Employment opportunities in the region have resulted in a population increase of over 23% in the last 10 years.

Case Study: The Portfolio Plan

It's not just about finding a deal, to truly grow as an investor you need to plan towards your end portfolio and work with people who can help you move towards that vision. iFindProperty has a service that achieves that for clients, and we are excited to share it with you today. 

Political Change and Tax

As an accountant is not a place for my personal political opinions, but professionally speaking I’m pleased with this result, and cautiously optimistic we might have a friendlier tax environment for the property sector for at least a few years. But what does this mean for property investors?

What comes next?

In the wake of the election and change of government, Nick takes an early look at what will (and what might) change. 

New Zealand 2023 Election: Policies that Impact Property Investors

There are a lot of policies flying around with regards to tax, building, housing, social housing etc. We have summarized the main policies from each party that impact New Zealand property investors. 

Use iFindProperty to invest from overseas

Hear from past client Brad, who was based in Sydney and bought two rentals in New Zealand, in two different cities, while he was away. 

Keep your focus on the long-term

How we think about our progress defines our actions, particularly when markets are tough. Nick writes about how he keeps to a long-term view. 

What to do when you are not buying property

With credit tight, tax rules unfair, weather events happening far to often, and an election coming up, many investors are choosing to sit on the sidelines. There are still a ton of things you can do to review and improve your portfolio, make sure your structure and insurance is OK, increase your knowledge, or yes, even make a deal happen that you would otherwise have not thought to look for. 

Introduction to Commercial Property

Watch the video of Peter Ambrose's introduction to commercial property for new investors. Pete shares what investors need to pay attention to and showcases two case studies of commerical property purchases.

How to Keep Calm in Uncertain Times

Inflation, interest rates, tax policy changes, immigration news and an election year. It's all happening and this creates uncertainty and fear. Nick hosted a panel discussion with other experienced market players to discuss how to deal with the ups and downs in the property cycle. 

Commercial Property Case Study

iFindCommercial! We recently helped a new investor who had sold his business buy into two great commercial investments. In this case study we talk about the education, search and buying process we followed.

Case Study: Helping investors do the hard yards

Here are two case studies of new clients we welcomed to iRentProperty. We are ready and eager to help investors unlock value in, and upgrade, their properties, when other property management businesses say “too hard”. 

Getting hot results when selling in a cooling market

Right as the CCCFA changes were starting to bite, an investor asked us to market their 3-unit property in Rotorua. We used our investment experience to highlight the upside potential for the incoming buyer and marketed it to our exclusive database of investors, generated a good result.

Part 2: An amateur property investor's guide to navigating inflation

In part 2, we look at strategies to navigate through, and ultimately profit from inflationary periods. 

Part 1: An amateur property investor's guide to navigating inflation

Inflation is back, politicians are fighting about it, interest rates are up, the tax rules are changing, there is war in Europe and we are still in a pandemic. The headlines remind you daily that There is Lots to Worry About. How can you possibly invest through all this? Nick shares his plan.

Time to shuffle the deck?

Does your portfolio need a review and redirection? Nick Gentle looks at alternative investment scenarios and their merits.

Market Snapshot October 2021

Megan Davies highlights what the Rotorua property market looked like over the past month. 

PRETTY HOUSES ARE FOR HOME BUYERS

In this tight market look for that deal that no one else wants, the listing that’s the oldest, advises Maree Tassell.

2-Step formula to buy forever

Nick Gentle shares his two-step winning formula for continued investment success.

Case study: Property Manager brings better yield for Rotorua investor

Carrie was able to achieve a great rental return for an investor, much higher than had originally thought possible! Find out how.

Cashflow Positive Case Study in Wellington

Our Wellington expert, Pete, recently sourced and then project managed the renovation of a project in Wellington. Read more about how he found the unique deal for his clients and helped them from beginning to end to achieve their investment portfolio goals.

Dealing with change

Dean Horo explains why being a residential property investor in these times is like being a high performance athlete preparing to compete.

Dual-income in Tauranga at a discount

If you're time poor, our services just make sense. Our team has the market knowledge and experience to get you the deal you're looking for. 

Instant equity and cashflow positive

Kara talks us through a recent property purchase in Rotorua for clients of our Premium Buyers Service. The property is now rented through iRentProperty for a 5.8% yield.

Offsetting New Tax

Nick Gentle gives his top tips for investors on overcoming the Government’s recent policy changes.

Case Study: purchase from iFindProperty Hotlist

There are perks to being on our hotlist! Read about how Dean has managed to make both his client and the vendor happy.

A great deal hidden in plain sight

Our out-of-town client had a local investor working for them, which meant they picked up this great deal everybody else passed on.

No time to ‘wing it’

Even the professionals make mistakes sometimes, Maree Tassell with a cautionary tale.

From condemned to profitable turnaround

We set up a profitable turnaround deal on this condemned Tokoroa property. Read on to hear how we helped our clients.

Investing in high-LVR times

Working your investment plan around the current high LVRs.

Zoning knowledge for the win

Our agents' knowledge of zoning was the key to success in this Auckland suburb deal. Keep reading to hear how this case study played out.

A quick sale with positive cashflow

Our Tokoroa specialist, Wayne Dickson, shares how iFindProperty can assist in every step of the buying process to reach our client's goals. 

What the new announcement means for investors

The government made a significant housing announcement, in the hope to be seen to be doing more about the runaway housing market. Anthony Appleton-Tattersall explains what this might mean for investors. 

Case Study: Winning multi-offer situations

Rotorua agent Kara Niles shares her insight on how she managed to land her client a fantastic deal in a multi-offer situation 

Rotorua Market Update March 2021

Rotorua is "hot", so how does anyone get a good deal in this market? Read more...

Case Study: Moving quick in Rotorua

Moving quickly and confidently getting the deal done - that's how our agent Kara Niles handled this particular deal in the beautiful Rotorua.

What really matters when buying an investment property?

When you start to invest there are a lot of factors to consider. It is only with experience or guidance that investors understand what aspects of a purchase are crucial, what is simply logistics and what can be safely ignored or outsourced. 

How best to invest

Nick Gentle explains it’s certain traits that successful investors have, rather than strategies, that make them a success.

Land a hot deal in a hot market

It’s still possible to land a deal in this market, writes Suzanne Taylor, but there’s some key things to know before you hit the open homes. 

Taking on projects in an upward market

Looking to add a minor dwelling to increase value and achieve higher returns? Palmerston North agent, Simon Tavendale shares a recent success story. Read more... 

Palmerston North Market Update December 2020

The Manawatu region continues its upward beat achieving strong median year-on-year growth in Palmerston North. Read more...

Active Investing in 2020

Nick has purchased five times since lockdown, here he shares details of his latest investments and explains why investors shouldn’t despair.

Near enough is good enough

Finding a decent deal in the current market has many investors throwing their hands up in the air, but lost opportunities also have a cost.

Case Studies: Out of town investors in Hamilton

Want to see what some of our investors have been buying? Look no further! Ben shares a couple of recent deals in Hamilton. 

Hamilton Market Update November 2020

It really is impossible to keep up with the fast-paced Hamilton market at present unless you are immersed in it every day. In the last 12 months, Waikato median house prices rose 14.4%, and 4% in the time since lockdown here ended.

Use Technology to Find Your Tenants

Do you utilise technology to maximise the value of your investment portfolio? If not, why not?

Dunedin Market Update October 2020

Ask any buyer or sellers agents who live and work in Dunedin or follow any of the abundance of real estate company/mortgage brokers blogs and webinars on the Dunedin property market and you will see a consistent commentary - "not enough stock", record prices, record rent levels, rental yields down, investors missing out on sales, the list goes on.

Post Covid-19: What to believe

Contradictory messages about the market are rife, but investors should stick to the basics.

Tauranga Market Update October 2020

After a few weeks of uncertainty and poor activity levels immediately after Lockdown 1, Tauranga auction rooms are once again a hive of activity. 

Case Study: Welcome Bay

A Wellington based client knew a deal when he saw it. He put his trust in the iFindProperty team and as a result, secured a fantastic property that could have sold a dozen times over. 

Don't let a little maintenance stop you

A lot of people shy away from property investment because they are afraid of future maintenance items. All that stuff can be outsourced! Don't let replacing some carpet in 5 years talk you out of the right financial decision.

Social Housing Opportunity

Following the changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, social housing providers are about to become a big deal. 

Certain strategies for uncertain times

A downturn in the market presents many opportunities for investors willing to take the risk.

Whangarei Market Update August 2020

Like most of the country, Whangarei is experiencing a low number of properties listed for sale and a high number of active purchasers. The stats I have seen do not give any hope that this is going to change in the short term.

12 Tips for New Investors

I spoke with the local news about property and they asked for some tips for new investors. Here is a list of twelve strategic ideas that will help you to start with the right mindset and team.

Case Study: Hard work gets the yields

In 2019 Chris Sim worked with Ricky and Alana on a property purchase that soon turned into an adventure and required faith in the process. Our clients stuck with it and have been very well rewarded. 

How to Generate Passive Income and Retire Early with Property

Over time, property investors can build up high levels of passive income and become "financially free". This article teaches how to visualise an early retirement and plan the property portfolio you need to achieve it.

Tony Alexander's Analysis on Covid-19

Independent economist Tony Alexander has been publishing some excellent content on the Covid-19 crisis and the likely impact on New Zealand's job and housing markets. 

How to invest in New Zealand from Overseas

These days it is possible to invest in property from anywhere in the world, using modern communication tools and people on the ground to help you build your wealth in New Zealand while you are away. Here is how...

Covid-19 Update + Wellington Focus

Nick, Peter and Suzanne hopped on a Webinar to discuss recent happenings with property and Covid-19 as the country prepares to exit level 4. We then dove into the Wellington market and look forward to see what life holds for the capital.

Cashflow and Cash during a Crisis

During a crisis the book as I see it is hold onto your assets and acquire more as you can, while sticking to rues and maintaining some flexibility. As a property investor it is about access to cash in the immediate term to handle a painful vacancy or job loss, while med/long term good cashflow is critical.

Covid-19 Update April 5

A summary of the rule changes that have arisen in response to Covid-19 and resources being made available to investors and borrowers. 

Benefit of the Covid-19 Response Act to investors

There is an important benefit to investors tucked away in the Covid-19 Response Act, that changes what level of certain expenditure items are capital vs expenditure. 

Property Investment in a Crisis

On April 6 I spoke with other experienced investors about their reaction to the unfolding Covid-19 crisis. The speakers on this call have invested through past downturns and offer invaluable experience. 

Resources and information links regarding the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown

This post will be an evolving list of resources and links for homeowners, renters and landlords during the Covid-19 crisis. 

Rotorua from the property trenches: Covid-19 edition

The recent escalation of COVID-19 is having a profound effect on the tourism industry in Rotorua as well as around the country. The increasingly imminent shutdown of most hospitality businesses in New Zealand means will be the loss of many hundreds of thousands of jobs in the short term.

I’m sure there will be two groups of investors out there; one will be excited the other terrified and worried.

Explanation of the RTA Amendment Bill

This article breaks down the RTA amendment bill. It contains links to an interview between Nick and the manager of APIA and some other good resources that explaon the bill and what you can do. Submissions close March 25.

Auckland Market Update March 2020

House prices on the move. Low interest rates appealing for all property buyers. Strategies on increasing cashflow and or building equity.

Whangarei Market Update - March 2020

Northland is NZ's fastest growing region. Businesses are being attracted North. The construction industry is busy and rents are continuing to climb.

VIDEO - Why do some people buy and move forward while others don't?

NZ Economy & Housing Market with Tony Alexander

Tony was a guest speaker at the New Zealand Property Investors Federation Conference 2019 which was held in Rotorua. This is a summary of what he spoke about which has been provided by him
Tony Alexander's Aim
To help Kiwis make better decisions for their businesses, investments, home purchases, and people by writing in an easy to understand manner.

Tom Panos is coming to this year's Property Investor Conference

Recent Rotorua Deals

Want to see what some of our investors have been buying? Look no further! Debbie shares a couple of recent deals in Rotorua.

Whangarei Market Update - September 2019

Whangarei preparing for significant growth. Council proposing to permit high-density housing and a large number of projects are in the planning stages for Whangarei. Yields remain solid as rental shortage persists.

Hutt Valley and Porirua City Property Update - August 2019

Steady growth across the region. Low number of listings coupled with multi offers continue to drive property prices up. Cross leased properties becoming more complex to insure.

Hawkes Bay Market Update - August 2019

Hawkes Bay is continuing to experience steady growth with an increasing demand for rental properties.

Wellington Market Update - August 2019

The Wellington property market is continually on the move. First home buyers are out in force and there is still a strong demand for investment properties in good locations.

Palmerston North Market Update - July 2019

Fresh wave of first home buyers are snapping up properties and new records are being set for medium sell prices. Rents are also likely to continue to increase across the region.

Securing A New Mortgage – What You Need To Know

Understanding the lending criteria applied by Lenders and using an experienced mortgage broker specialising in property investors are two things that can significantly increase your ability to capitalize on your borrowing power.

Hamilton Property Market Update June 2019

Hamilton is currently experiencing a consistent slow-burn in terms of price growth. Over the last 12 months it has experienced capital growth levels of 4.5%, outperforming the other two cities in the ‘Golden Triangle’.

Whanganui Market Update - May 2019

The Whanganui market continues this late-cycle run, echoing the characteristics of regional NZ. Home buyers are the main culprits, removing valuable rentable housing stock. This has had the inevitable effect of pushing rents higher.

What's the "Right Way" to invest?

Confused about what strategy to follow for your investing? Scared you might "get it wrong"?
Read on ...

Investor Story - Lorraine Rishworth

From a marriage breakup in her late forties to owning her own home in Auckland freehold not too many years later... iFindProperty client Lorraine Rishworth has had one amazing turnaround and she was featured in the New Zealand Property Investor Magazine in early 2019 to share her story.

Case Study: Great yields in Hawkes Bay

In a hot property market where affordable houses are quickly snapped up, our client nabbed themselves a great cashflow property at a price that means they will be able to buy again soon.

Ring Fencing Tax Losses 101 - Don't Panic

The government is changing the rules! Yes well they do that from time to time and now is when you should slow down and think about what is really going to happen.
 

2018 Year End Review and Setting 2019 Goals

In this post I share my process to review the past year and set some goals for the year ahead.

What do you need to do for Home Insulation?

From 1 July 2019 all New Zealand rental properties are required to meet new government standards for home insulation. Find out what you need to do. 

15 Rules Successful Investors Follow

In my time as a property investor and particularly as I work more and more with other successful investors, I can't but help notice that the happy and successful people all do some things in common.

Tokoroa Market Update

Wow, where has the time gone? We nearly through 2018 and the last 12 months has flown by. A fair bit has changed and I have a snapshot of where we are in the market. The new CVs come out in November and the expectation is for a massive increase compared with the 2015 CV we currently have.

Rotorua's Current Market Performance

In a recent news release Kelvin Davidson of CoreLogic waxed lyrical about Rotorua's property market performance and the strength behind this:

Case Study - Rotorua 7-8% Gross Yield and Potential to Add Value

Our clients approached us in June 2018 and were all ready to buy in Rotorua.

With finance confirmed and a budget in the low $300,000 range, their key criteria was a property that generated 7-8% gross yield with potential to add value in the future.

Case Study: Convert a laundry to a bedroom in Christchurch

Barry and Carolyn worked with us to hunt down a property with quick value-add potential in Christchurch. They bought outside their home town and what's more, were travelling during the due diligence and close period!

Christchurch Property Market Update

An update on the Christchurch property investment market at the mid-2018 mark.

Case Study: Add bedrooms to increase yield and value

How a Wellington-based investor secured a property the entire market had missed - literally, it had been on sale for a year - and stands to make a fortune in doing so.

Case Study: Full time professional investing from Australia

How a full time health professional working in Australia was able to assemble the RIGHT team and secure a good buy and hold investment property in Wellington.

Use Leverage to Build Wealth and Passive Income

Property is the business of using leverage carefully to grow your wealth. In this article we look at the two main forms of leverage, "Other People's Time" and "Other People's Money".

Have you thought of investing in Wainuiomata?

As it turns out I'm not the only one with Wainui on the brain lately and a LOT has been happening there, particularly in the last few months the investors should take note of.

Wellington Market Strong and with Opportunities

For those of you looking to invest in a solid market with good returns, Wellington is still the place to be. I would like to give you an update on the Wellington market as I see it and offer some slightly different views.

Update on the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill

An update on the overseas investment amendment as of Jan 2018.

Case Study: Make your first home a profitable rental property

How I recently helped a young couple looking for their first home. This couple had become very frustrated after missing out many times in a market where most properties were going to tender or auction. They were looking for a property that would be suitable to live in now as well as to hold long term after they have moved on.

Reducing Depreciation Recovery

Quite a few property investors are thinking about selling. Should you just accept that you will have to recover all the building depreciation you have previously claimed? ……… NO

Case Study: How an expat in Qatar bought his first property

No more excuses! This investor worked with iFindProperty step by step over several months to discuss how property works, get lending approval, put a team together and work out his critieria and finally secure a property... from the other side of the world.

Pros, cons and risks of short term rentals

We invited an investor, insurance advisor and property tax specialist to a round table discussion of strategies, pros, cons potential pitfalls when planning or running a short term rental investment in New Zealand.

Take action today to improve your investing

The best time to learn and grow is always right now and it certainly does not matter if you are currently looking to buy or not. In fact, a bit of down time between open homes and evaluating properties can be the perfect opportunity to reflect and study.

Here are some things you can do right now that will provide long term benefits to your investing.

Mortgage Market Update with Squirrel

iFindProperty spoke with Andrew Mackay and Peter Norris from Squirrel about what is changing in the mortgage market in 2017, particularly for investors.

Webinar with Kenyon Clarke of Du Val Property Group

On March 15 we hosted a webinar with Kenyon Clarke, the driving force behind the Avenue Apartments, a great new development in Mangere, Auckland.

It was a great conversation and we dug into Kenyon's strategy for area, design and other advice for investors.

Meet the developer of Avenue Apartments

Early purchaser pricing still available! Nice, new and central in Auckland.

Join us at Novotel Ellerslie on Wednesday March 29 for an evening with the developer of Avenue Apartments in Mangere. Du Val Property are delivering some fantastic properties and buyers who get in early are doing very well. Now is the time to check these out while the early bird pricing deals last.

Understanding TRUE VALUE to Succeed

This is a story of an investor who was suck until she changed her thinking and created massive equity in short time.

Investing with Family and Friends

Group investments are popular because when resources are combined people can achieve more than they would have otherwise. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, it seems.

How to do Due Diligence

A glimpse into what our team assists clients with during the due diligence period of a potential purchase. Just what is required to do your analysis in the time allowed takes a bit of experience and as you can see, there is often more to it than just emailing the contract to your lawyer and bank.

20 Rental Properties in One Year by Graeme Fowler

We interview best-selling property author and successful investor Graeme Fowler about his most recent book, 20 Rental Properties in One Year, now on sale at the iFindProperty website.

How Investors are Using Non-Bank Lenders

In part two of our series on lending I share some real world ways investors areworking with non-bank lenders in today's market.

Non bank lending explained

Part one of a two article series where we look at alternative lenders. We start by asking a couple of simple questions, namely who are the non-bank lenders and what do they do?

Case Study: Invest to Reduce your Mortgage

How a couple of young iFindProperty clients cut an estimated 8 years off their own home loan with a very affordable investment property purchase.

Case Study: Buy in New Zealand while Overseas

Case study on how an iFindProperty client who is used to personally inspecting every property, leveraged a buyers agent to invest sight-unseen from overseas in one of the hottest Auckland markets in history.