March 2024 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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6 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS March 2024 > BUSINESS PROFILE RAPSON LOANS AND FINANCE Tristan Hewett Mortgage, Business & Commercial Finance Brooke Reynolds Mortgage, Business & Commercial Finance Jacques Pitts Financial Adviser – Mortgages ARE YOU LOOKING FOR EXPERT FINANCIAL ADVICE THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOUR BANK CAN OFFER? Ph 021 119 9458 Ph 021 942 320 Ph 027 301 7177 Founded in 2007, Rapson Loans and Finance is a fully independent finance and loans company based in Tauranga with a client base all over New Zealand. The Rapson team is dedicated to helping families and individuals achieve their financial dreams. Trudie Rutherford Financial Adviser – Risk Ph 027 217 3556 Michelle Schwab Financial Adviser – Mortgages Ph 021 278 4711 Andre October Financial Adviser – Mortgages Ph 027 344 0994 Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or an investor, Rapson’s team is committed to providing expert financial advice and tailored solutions that usually go beyond what a single bank can offer. With a focus on putting people first, the team strives to make the financial journey as stress-free and seamless as possible. MEET THE TEAM At Rapson, we are lucky to have a team of experienced financial advisors. Our highly experienced and professional team can help with all your loan, mortgage, insurance and investment needs. Together, we provide the total solution. We’re all focused on the same goal and that is to deliver the best possible outcome for you. Tristan Hewett Director, Financial Adviser – Mortgage, Business & Commercial Finance Tristan is one of our directors, specialising in Mortgage, Business & Commercial Finance. Tristan has a wealth of experience as a business development manager in the rural, banking and investment sectors. He is dedicated to helping clients achieve their financial goals by offering tailored solutions and strategic insights. With a strong foundation in business development across diverse sectors, he brings a unique perspective to the team and ensures that clients receive the highest standard of service and support. Brooke Reynolds Director, Financial Adviser – Mortgage, Business & Commercial Finance Brooke is our other Director, specialising in Mortgages, Business & Commercial Finance. Brooke has over two decades of experience in finance. Her solutions-focused mindset and unwavering work ethic have made her an invaluable asset to the Rapson team. Recently named a finalist in the prestigious Elite Women 2023 awards, Brooke’s outstanding contributions in the mortgage industry speak for themselves – helping clients meet their financial goals and finds it particularly rewarding to help first-home buyers make it onto the property ladder. Jacques Pitts Financial Adviser – Mortgages Jacques is an experienced account manager in both the sales and finance industries. He has a track record of building relationships, managing large accounts, and problem-solving. Jacques is dedicated to helping clients find the ideal mortgage option while making the difficult process seem simple. Trudie Rutherford Financial Adviser – Risk Trudie is a risk specialist, with over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has a passion for working with families, understanding their specific needs, and formulating a tailored plan for them to protect their debt and income within their budget. Michelle Schwab Financial Adviser – Mortgages Michelle has an entrepreneurial background across the real estate and finance industries. Being a business owner gives Michelle a unique understanding of home loan policies and budgets. She offers valuable insights into the local Bay of Plenty real estate market. Michelle has gained experience in both Australia and New Zealand and has worked in finance and lending. Andre October Financial Adviser – Mortgages With a passion for property and investments, Andre brings a wealth of experience with a diverse work background in the mining and construction industries. Now as a financial adviser, his expertise is focused on guiding individuals towards financial success. With experience like this on offer, it is no wonder why more New Zealanders are choosing mortgage advisers for their first home loans and financial needs. Recent statistics released from the New Zealand banks have confirmed that the number of Kiwis using financial advisors and mortgage brokers is increasing year on year. The Bank of New Zealand confirmed the adviser channel accounted for 34.8% of BNZ home loans compared to 30.7% of the previous financial year. As part of their FY23 results, ANZ confirmed the proportion of home loans through advisers was 60%, up from 56% for FY22. In the six months to September 30, 2023, Kiwibank confirmed that the percentage of new home loans (by value) originated from mortgage advisors was 58%. For Westpac, adviser-introduced home loans represented 51.9% of Westpac NZ’s total portfolio (as of September 30), up from 50.1% in the previous 12 months. One of the key contributors to this development is the complexity of the New Zealand housing market. There is an array of banks and other lenders offering a wide range of mortgage products, each with unique terms and conditions, which can be bewildering for firsttime homebuyers. Navigating through this landscape can be simplified with the aid of a mortgage adviser. The team at Rapson provide detailed, personalised advice based on each client’s individual requirements and financial situation. With our established connections, and over 50 years combined experience in the industry we have the potential to negotiate more favourable loan terms, such as interest rates and repayment schedules. Here at Rapson, our service goes beyond mere advice; we offer bespoke guidance, to ensure the most beneficial loan conditions through negotiation, and enable our clients to make well-informed decisions. We’re focused on helping you achieve your financial goals. Loans & Mortgages Insurance KiwiSaver CONTACT THE RAPSON LOANS AND FINANCE TEAM TODAY. Ph 07 577 1209 | tristan@rapson.co.nz | brooke@rapson.co.nz | www.rapson.co.nz
March 2024 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 7 Long-term plan our key focus The Tauranga City Council Commission’s focus for the first four months of 2024 is very much on finalising and adopting the 2024-34 Longterm Plan (LTP). > So far, Tauranga is the only council in the country which has consulted on the road pricing concept, which would likely be very similar to the congestion charging proposed by the Government. > By ANNE TOLLEY, TAURANGA COMMISSION CHAIR As mentioned in previous columns, a key feature of the draft LTP, from a business perspective, is the proposal to introduce a new industrial rating category. And, from a longer-term perspective, the opportunity for the community to express its views on the SmartTrip variable road pricing concept, as a way of addressing traffic congestion and financing future road network improvements, will also be of significant interest to businesses generally. More on that later. The industrial rate proposal was based on the need to ensure that different categories of ratepayers are contributing fairly to the cost of running the city. While industry, which is defined by land uses devoted to industrial operations and port, transportation and utility network activities, contributes much to our community, these businesses have a disproportionate impact on our roading network and environment and the LTP consultation process sought feedback on whether they should be paying more than other commercial ratepayers towards the council’s funding requirements. Just over 65% of some 1200 submissions on this subject supported that perspective, and the proposal that an industrial category should have a rating differential of 2.7 (i.e. industrial ratepayers should pay 2.7 times the residential general rate, calculated on property values), to be phased in over a three-year period. For other commercial ratepayers, that would allow the current 2.1 differential to remain unchanged. The Commission will be considering all of the submissions on this subject at the LTP deliberations meeting in early-March and while no decisions will be finalised ahead of the adoption of the LTP in late-April, we do have to make a balanced decision based on fairness and the best interests of the city as a whole. Feedback on the SmartTrip concept was substantially negative, and in any event, would require major legislative change before the idea could be advanced. However, there are some complexities that need to be taken into account in any future thinking about road pricing. These include: • If we don’t have a circuit-breaker that encourages people to use our roading network differently, the current congestions problems will only get worse. That will likely mean more time sitting in traffic jams, which would obviously have a productivity impact for the commercial sector; • Road pricing could raise a substantial amount of money to improve the transport network, paid for by all road users (not just Tauranga ratepayers) – funding that rates could never provide; • And, most importantly, the whole matter may well be taken out of our hands. The National Party’s transport policy is to “introduce congestion charging as a new tool to help reduce travel times in our congested cities”. Coalition partner New Zealand First also wants an inquiry on the use of road user charges instead of fuel excise to increase the efficiency and productivity of the national roading network. So far, Tauranga is the only council in the country which has consulted on the road pricing concept, which would likely be very similar to the congestion charging proposed by the Government. We therefore have some rich feedback to pass-on to central Government as it considers how best to address traffic congestion, the need to reduce carbon emissions from transport activities and future transport funding for Tauranga and the country as a whole. As you can see then, we have much to deliberate on this month, and to take into consideration as we develop our final plan for the next 10 years. NEW MILESTONE REACHED FOR TAURANGA’S PROPERTY AND BUSINESS ORGANISATION UTF Tauranga’s Urban Task Force (UTF) is celebrating its third anniversary, having more than doubled its membership during a transformational time for the city. The organisation represents Tauranga property owners, developers and business communities and advocates to support the city’s growth and encourage collaboration. UTF Chair Scott Adams and his fellow board members have over 230 years of combined property industry knowledge and expertise. “In late 2020 the idea of a Tauranga-focused property industry group was initially floated, to unite some of the growing factions and work together for a prosperous city built on the backbone of a strong and successful property and development sector,” Adams recalls. “At the time, Tauranga was in a state of crisis, with non-performing elected councillors replaced by commissioners, a deserted CBD, record property prices despite decades of under investment in local assets and civic amenities, and a severe shortage of zoned and serviced land for new housing.” In the past 12 months UTF has weighed in on local government planning changes, housing development proposals, natural hazard mapping, SmartGrowth strategies, infrastructure decisions, and Tauranga City Council’s Long-term Plan. They’ve also held public meetings to hear from local political candidates and hosted guest speakers such as former Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley. “We’ve proven that a collective voice and unified action is the most effective way to drive change,” Adams says. “Our members are passionate about Tauranga and seeing the wider region succeed. We’ve seen some strong steps in the right direction to invest in much-needed infrastructure and community amenities. But there’s still a lot to do.” Tauranga continues to have a chronic housing and land shortage. Based on current growth projections, the city will be short 80,000 houses and 400ha of industrial space by 2050. “As an organisation, we are looking forward to working with the newly elected council and mayor later this year to continue the progress being made, and to help tackle the big issues like transport and land supply that continue to hold Tauranga back.” Adams says access to housing, community facilities and infrastructure such as roading remain a priority. UTF will continue to focus on specific goals of increasing land supply, attracting central Government funding, investment in transport, infrastructure, education and civic amenities for the benefit of the whole community. “Since our first year, we have more than doubled our membership and all our members are accountable to their counterparts, their colleagues and community. The future of Tauranga will be our members’ legacy.” Proudly providing expert advice and adding value to projects across the Bay of Plenty since 1940. To experience Cheal’s award winning service, contact us today. +64 7 349 8470 | info@cheal.co.nz |
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March 2024 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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