The fundamentals surrounding borrowing for commercial endeavours are a little different from those that affect residential. Commercial and business ventures often require more of a specialist approach as the bank needs to consider more factors than a standard-residential purchase.

Whether you are looking to buy a commercial property to house your company, as an investment or needing to get a loan to expand your business, there are a number of different options available.

The playing field for commercial property investment is more even now as the Reserve Bank has cut what they will lend against residential investment. Where we used to be able to get 80% (and higher) for a residential investment property through the banks, this is now limited to 65% - which is the same as the borrowing limit imposed when using commercial property as security.

The general differences that remain between commercial and residential lending include the length of time you can borrow for – 15-year maximum for a commercial, tougher servicing requirements, higher rates & more scrutiny of the lease & tenants who will occupy the space.

It’s important to know that trading banks change their appetite all of time in regard to the type of lending they want to be involved with. This applies equally to commercial and business lending. Just because you have been with a particular bank for many years does not mean that they will lend you the most money for a commercial venture.

When it comes to funding for the development of commercial property, or where commercial property is acquired for the purposes of tenanting and on-selling, there are also options outside the main trading banks. These lenders understand quick turn-around of property and focus on the asset as opposed to the need to prove income. These types of lenders are also useful for those borrowers who would like to hold a property for a longer term but cannot prove income at the time of purchase.

There are options (and benefits) regards utilising existing residential property when purchasing a commercial building and it is important to present the deal in the right way to the right people at the bank. That’s what we specialise in at Edge Mortgages. For nearly 20 years we have helped many people into commercial property, and with business lending.

In an effort to tackle the housing affordability crisis, the New Zealand Government is considering an interest free loan scheme for first-home buyers. The shared equity scheme could save first-home buyers up to $100 a week compared to a commercial mortgage, with officials working on the scheme alongside its Kiwibuild programme, which is planning to build 10,000 houses a year at up to $650,000 each. With New Zealand's housing shortage continuing to worsen by the month, this could be a great way to boost home ownership rates in certain demographics. 

Lack of growth in the housing market continues to effect residential rents, which are now outpacing wage growth in Auckland and Wellington. For the first time in a while, gross rental yields are rising in more areas than they are falling across New Zealand, as investors seek to capitalise on their properties without relying on capital gains. There are some significant regional differences, however, with rents in Canterbury hardly moving as wages continue to rise.

Whether it's cooking our food, washing our clothes, or keeping us entertained at night, electricity is needed for all aspects of modern life. Power bills are a huge expense for most people, with domestic appliances accounting for 33 percent of all household energy consumption. Other big contributors include water and cooling at 40 percent, and water heating at 21 percent. Electricity is charged in kilowatts per hour (kWh) units, with some appliances much more expensive to run than others. Let's take a look at some of the best, and some of the worst offenders.

Have you ever thought about taking drugs to make you smarter or help you perform better at work? Smart drugs include all compounds that are capable of enhancing cognitive function, including stimulants like caffeine and Ritalin and nootropic substances such as piracetam and modafinil. While some of these substances have been found to improve memory, motivation and creativity in scientific studies, they can be dangerous when abused or taken without a prescription.

There's nothing better than a good road trip to clear out the cobwebs. Fresh air and majestic scenery inspire the imagination like nothing else, helping you to break the bonds of familiarity and giving you a new lease on life. From far away journeys like Route 66 in the United States and Ticlio Pass in Peru through to the Great Ocean Road in Australia and Milford Road in New Zealand, let's take a look at some of the world's most amazing road trips.