The Reserve Bank has held the OCR at 2.25%, signaling that the interest rate cycle is now stabilising. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has held the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 2.25% , signalling that the NZ interest rate cycle may have reached its low point. While there was no rate cut or hike, the latest Monetary Policy Statement suggests gradual increases from late 2026 if economic recovery continues. For property investors and mortgage holders, this shift from falling to s

ON THE MARKET – December 2025 Edition The NZ Property Market is gently waking up A Market Gently Waking Up For the first time in a long while, the signals coming from the economy, the banks and everyday buyers are starting to all line up at the same time. It is not a boom. It is not even a surge. But it is a clear shift away from the uncertainty that has weighed on the property market for the past three years. The latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey sums it up neatly: buyer

The RBNZ dropped the OCR to 2.25% today As expected the Reserve Bank has today reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 0.25% , bringing it to 2.25%. While a modest adjustment, this move reinforces the Bank’s confidence that inflation pressures have eased and that the broader economic recovery can now be supported by lower borrowing costs. For buyers, homeowners, and investors, the message is clear: financing conditions are moving steadily in your favour, and today’s cut stren

How will the proposed Capital Gains Tax (CGT) affect the property market? The prospect of a Capital Gains Tax (CGT), signalled by Labour for introduction on 1 July 2027, has reignited debate about the future of residential property investment in New Zealand. While the idea of taxing capital gains may sound unsettling to investors, the fine print and international precedents paint a far calmer picture than the headlines suggest. Labour says the proposed 28% tax will fund free

Staircase Mortgage Newsletter – October 2025 With the OCR cut further, the property market recovery is accelerated The Reserve Bank has just cut the OCR by 0.5 percentage points to 2.50% per annum its boldest easing move in three years. This decision doesn’t start a recovery, it accelerates one that is already underway. Property sales have been rising since winter, mortgage rates have fallen sharply, and investors are back in the market. The OCR cut confirms what the data al

ON THE MARKET – September 2025 Edition Spring time may be an investors last chance to buy before competition heats up The property market is showing signs of life after a flat patch. Interest rates have dropped again, sales activity is picking up, and confidence is slowly returning. While prices haven’t taken off yet, the groundwork is being laid for the next cycle. In this update, we’ll break down what the Reserve Bank’s latest cut means, where Auckland and the wider NZ mark