Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Opinion: Concern as interest rates may tick up

Bay of Plenty Times
5 Apr, 2017 08:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Homeowners and buyers are being warned to expect mortgage rates to creep up further this year. Photo/File

Homeowners and buyers are being warned to expect mortgage rates to creep up further this year. Photo/File

Homeowners and buyers are being warned to expect mortgage rates to creep up further this year.

Fixed and floating interest rates have already climbed in the last 12 months, and banks have also tightened up on new home-loan sweeteners, with no trips overseas, iPhones, credit cards or cash contributions unless negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

After the record low-interest rates Kiwis have enjoyed in recent years, it was only a matter of time before rates began to creep up again.

What is concerning is the potential impact this could have on those who borrowed heavily to get on the property ladder as house prices soared.

New Zealand Federation of Family Budgeting chief executive Raewyn Fox says some people have stretched their budgets to buy a home. An interest-rate rise could blow their family budget completely.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Last week ANZ's chief economist Cameron Bagrie told Fairfax that Auckland was now heavily exposed to the risk of higher interest rates, suggesting the game was over for the housing boom in that city and that it was much more vulnerable to rising interest rates than it was 2007, the last time the market turned.

The Auckland housing boom spread to other regions, including here.

Bay of Plenty homeowners have seen the value of their homes increase rapidly over the past few years.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, those seeking to buy their first home have faced an uphill struggle, and rising interest rates are not likely to make their task any easier.

Hopefully, the experts are right - that the predicted interest rate rises will be slight and families will not be forced to make tough decisions when it comes to their weekly budgets.

Discover more

Eva Bradley: Overthinking everything

06 Apr 02:49 AM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

Why Lone Star Tauranga's former franchisee went under

21 Sep 06:00 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

A new cycleway and a kiwifruit traffic solution on Dally's agenda if elected

21 Sep 05:00 PM
Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

Opinion: The asset outperforming everything else in 2025

21 Sep 04:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Premium
Premium
Why Lone Star Tauranga's former franchisee went under
Bay of Plenty Times

Why Lone Star Tauranga's former franchisee went under

Liquidation report reveals firm's $700k debt, as restaurant's new owners make fresh start.

21 Sep 06:00 PM
A new cycleway and a kiwifruit traffic solution on Dally's agenda if elected
Bay of Plenty Times

A new cycleway and a kiwifruit traffic solution on Dally's agenda if elected

21 Sep 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Opinion: The asset outperforming everything else in 2025
Bay of Plenty Times

Opinion: The asset outperforming everything else in 2025

21 Sep 04:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP