Buying a home can be one of life’s most exciting moments, but it can also feel stressful and overwhelming. Whether it’s moving in together, welcoming a new addition to the family, navigating the teenage years or planning for retirement, these life stages often spark the need for a new home and a new mortgage.
Because moving house is stressful enough on its own, it really helps to have somebody to take the complexity out of home loans, says Jason Su, ANZ Mobile Mortgage Manager. He’s a local mortgage specialist and works with a range of buyers to help them understand their borrowing options and navigate the process.
“We provide guidance from those first questions through to approval and settlement, so we’re here every step of the way,” says Su. “I love seeing how super stoked people are when they get the right house, and they get a huge sense of achievement. It’s a real joy.”
Su and his partner Vicky recently became homeowners themselves for the first time, “and we found the whole gig can feel very overwhelming, so I understand the pressures,” he says.
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“You can feel vulnerable talking about your finances or asking questions that maybe you think you should already know the answers to. But when people muster up the courage to have a chat about what’s possible, they walk out feeling more confident and better about the future.”
ANZ Mobile Mortgage Managers Anita Walker, Jason Su, Karen D’Lima
Setting up your family and your future
When you’re planning your next move, getting clarity early can make a big difference.
Last week, Su spoke to a couple who had recently returned to New Zealand and wanted to buy a home before starting a family.
“Within about 20 minutes, our conversation helped them realise they were in a much better position than they’d anticipated. Instead of buying a smaller two-bed, they were able to future-proof with a larger home in their first-choice school zone, so they won’t have to move again in a few years’ time.”
Home loans are tailored to fit each individual situation, but Su says it’s especially important for first-home buyers to start the conversation early so they’re ready to move quickly when the right property comes along.
Combining local expertise with big data
One big challenge as a buyer is knowing how much to pay for a house, and Su says the Valocity real-time valuation estimator is an enormous help. It generates a report on a potential purchase that includes comparable sales and an estimated value.
Su used it himself during his house hunt and says it can help customers understand how to accurately pitch an offer.
Is it the most valuable tool in his toolkit? Possibly, but it’s probably local knowledge and availability that gives Mobile Mortgage Managers the edge, he suggests. When you call or email ANZ, you’ll be connected with a friendly local who can meet you at home or at a nearby cafe, and at a time that suits you, including after hours and weekends.
“I had someone call last Friday at 8pm, and she was very apologetic, but she was just so excited. The neighbour had offered her the opportunity to buy the house next door and she needed to move fast. I fired up the laptop, we had a quick chat, and together we had an offer ready to go that night. It was signed on the Monday and she’s now getting ready to settle, so that was a great result.”
Making the mortgage process “smooth and chill”
Su says he’s noticed online discussions about home loans can be disheartening, filled with uncertainty and false information.
Commenters’ often-outdated advice can make borrowing feel out of reach, or too difficult to be worth the effort.
“That doesn’t help with people’s confidence, and people are surprised at what they discover when we talk. In general, the requirements for paperwork have reduced significantly, so that the process is actually pretty smooth and chill. It’s not a long, drawn-out process and you don’t have to jump through a lot of unnecessary hoops.”
“Just give us a call and have a chat,” says Su. To book an appointment, visit ANZ Mobile Mortgage Managers.
*ANZ lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply to home loans.
