It doesn’t really seem right, here it is late June and I am sitting in Sunshine Coast enjoying lovely clear days, sunshine and low to mid 20 degrees. Mortgage Link had its annual conference last week and for the first time this was held offshore on the Gold Coast. So after spending a few days up skilling what better excuse than staying with family in the Sunshine Coast for another week of true R&R. After two weeks now ready to return to work although not so sure about returning to winter temperatures.

An interesting conference with all major Banks attending. Was interesting to hear comments related to the current enquiry taking place in Australia related to the banking industry and the government plans to really change the way banks are relating to clients. There is a very real chance that some of this could rub off into New Zealand so a little bit of wait and see. Other comments from lenders indicate they are keen to lend but it is very much a case of on their terms and really nothing outside the square will be looked at. Whilst this doesn’t mean finance is a no it may mean we have to look at non-traditional sources of second tier lending for some of our solutions. It simply means we may need to cast the net a little wider.

Michelle has done a great job of holding the fort for me whilst I have been away, will probably mean Monday is catch-up day but look forward to being back on deck. Any queries don’t hesitate to contact us.

Charlie & Michelle

Business confidence has dropped sharply across New Zealand, with a growing number of businesses feeling pessimistic in the face of rising labour costs and slow progress on housing and infrastructure projects. According to the ANZ Business Outlook Survey, 27 percent of 354 firms surveyed expect general business conditions to deteriorate over the coming 12 months, an increase from 23 percent the month before. The situation is especially pronounced in Auckland, with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce recently saying business confidence in the city was in "free fall".

The New Zealand housing market had a solid month in May, with median house price growth reaching a new high and a big jump in the number of homes for sale across the country. According to the latest figures from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), 7578 residential properties sold in May, which was 19 percent higher than April and 1.3 percent higher than May 2017. A big part of this growth can be attributed to foreign buyers, who accounted for almost 20 percent of all sales in central Auckland and 3.3 percent of national sales.

Western interior design has always been influenced by and drawn inspiration from other cultures. The exotic world of Japanese design has been a particularly fruitful source of ideas over the years, from the shapes and colours of traditional Japanese rooms through to the minimalism of kanso and the philosophy of zen. Whether you're choosing new furniture or undergoing a full renovation, many of the elements of Japanese design can be incorporated directly into western homes.  

From the computer networks that run the office through to the fast foods you enjoy at the end of the day, everything in modern life seems to be speeding up. The faster we go, the less we seem to get done, however, with urgency often leading to stress and anxiety. We all know that patience is a virtue, and according to science, it may also be beneficial for our physical and mental health. Having patience gives you the ability to wait and heal, the time to stay cool and collected, and the personal space that everyone needs for real health and well-being.

Most of us are content playing tennis on the weekends or kicking the soccer ball with the kids after school. For others, however, sport is a much more exciting and dangerous endeavour. From BASEjumping and bull riding through to luge and endurance ocean racing, some sports are much more likely to lead to injury and death than others. Let's take a look at some of the world's most dangerous sports to see if you're ready to swap the golf clubs for a bucking bull or wingsuit.