Don't suppose you could cut and paste for those of us who aren't subscribers to Consumer ?
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Im not a member either, however thought they might give some info, if someones a consumer member can you please put up the main points - cheers
Im a saver and investor not a cosumer like the majority of the population - so dont require consumer mag.
My portfolio has been consuming a few more HNZ shares lately though!
Starting with a generic article about reverse mortgages and the pitfalls to avoid. Mentioning the standards of Ministry of Social Development - and comparing the offers of the four NZ players: SBS, ASB, Heartland and TSB. They offer some examples what a reverse mortgage would mean to people of different ages and have a quite extensive table comparing the conditions of the four players (which I won't copy /paste - I assume copyright law apply as well for discussion forums).
Just in a nutshell .. on face value the SBS offer looks best (all the guarantees, but lowest interest rate). ASB and Heartland look pretty similar (though ASB's cool off period is much longer but ASB's loan is not transferrable to a retirement village, Heartland's is - and Heartland features the highest application fee as well as the highest interest rate of all four lenders). TSB is not really comparable (no negative equity guarantee). As well some differences in maximum loan as percentage of house value (HNZ in the middle) and whether they allow transfer of a security to a retirement village (some - incl HNZ do, others don't).
If I wanted a reverse mortgage, than based on this article I would first talk with SBS (but might change my mind based on further investigations I am now not going to do) - and Heartland would be the last cab off the rank. Wouldn't consider TSB.
Sorry - probably shouldn't put this summary into a thread full of Heartland fans ....
Discl: was holding but sold out some time ago and based on the article unlikely to buy in soon again ...
Thanks for the succinct summary BP.
BlackPeter,thank you.
So from this I take out two things:
1. the scheme is the second best on the market from a banks/shareholders perceptive.
2. if they want to increase demand/market share, they have scope to do so without forcing a price war.
As such, once this gets fully integrated, HNZ will either be able able to reap the benefits of the higher returns or meet the market price to increase market share. Great to have options.
I think since GFC there has not been a lot of interest in reverse mortgages.
I feel this is changing,and with reputable people such as ASB,HNZ,SBS and TSB offering them,RELs will gain respectability and become more acceptable,therefore the market for them will grow quickly .
A lot of us would not use them,and most of us would not buy a car on HP either,but there is a growing market for them.Advertising will help grow the market.