Land lost but freedom gained.

The rain came down and then some more rain came down. A lot of rain.

It continued to fall from the sky, hour after hour, while I sat in my clifftop home watching the land carve away. My neighbour’s large jacaranda tree was pulled down the slope, taking some of my land with it.

I got ready to self-evacuate and packed a bag with passport and toothbrush. The cat was loaded into the car and the dogs were ready to go. At times like these, you realise what really matters.

In the end I was able to stay in my home, albeit with a yellow sticker from the Council that has subsequently blocked access to some parts of the property.

Now that a few months have passed, it’s time to take stock. Here are some things that come to mind.

1. Let’s look out for each other.

A lot people have gone through similar experiences during this summer’s horrible weather. While the media focus has been on Hawkes Bay and Muriwai, there are people I know in Wairau Park, Parnell and elsewhere whose lives have been turned upside down.

They’ve lost business premises or rental income, and have seen their homes yellow-stickered, with potentially years of waiting while geotech and insurance issues are resolved. People are sucking it up and getting on with life. That’s fine in the short term, but as the months drag on they may find themselves drained, both psychologically and financially.

If that’s you, make sure you reach out to friends and family. Don’t go into your shell.

And if you’ve been fortunate enough to be spared major loss, keep a friendly eye open and be prepared to offer support.

2. Maintenance matters!

The flooding that caused such problems in my neighbourhood was aggravated by a blocked drain on public land. It sent water pouring down our street, and then gravity directed the torrent down the steep slopes at the rear of our properties. As a result, our land slumped down the hillside.

It’s a timely reminder that well maintained infrastructure is critical. While we can’t control public drains, we can clean gutters, keep our own drains clear, and generally make sure our properties are resilient. Prevention is a lot better than cure.

We’ll cover this topic in more detail in a future issue of this newsletter.

3. You can always look on the bright side

Monty Python said it first – sang it, actually – but there’s something to be said for finding positives in a situation.

In this case, I’ve lost some land but at least I no longer have to laboriously clear weeds from the portion that has now slipped down the hill. Instead, I have some terraces that may turn into a new planting opportunity. And my fortnightly task of mowing my older neighbour’s backyard lawn is history. No more Saturday night aches and pains!

I lost land but gained freedom. That’s a reason to be cheerful.

The serious point is that a positive outlook can help give us strength to deal with the demands of life. That’s not to minimise the very real problems we face, and the need to tackle them realistically, but it may prevent us being overwhelmed. Losses are real but so are the good things in life.

My autumn wish for you is to find the things that make life worthwhile, plus the resilience to keep on living your best life and achieving your goals.

We’re always here to talk about those goals – and how to structure your mortgage so you achieve them.

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Here’s a tip that might come in handy: Get your phone out, open the camera, and video any possession that you might need to claim on your insurance one day. We sincerely hope you never suffer a burglary, fire or flood – but if you do, you’ll be glad you made a record. A few years ago, we made this suggestion to one of our clients. He videoed his stuff – and wouldn’t you know, he was burgled just two days later. This leads to another piece of advice: Make sure you mention this to your insurer, just in case you find yourself in the same position as the person above. You wouldn’t want the insurance company to start wondering if you’d set the whole thing up. Stranger things have happened. A reminder that we don't offer fire and general insurance. We have no skin in this particular game – we simply want to be helpful. However, if you’d like to talk about these types of insurance policies, we can refer you to some trusted advisers. Note that we don’t get paid referral fees or commissions if you arrange insurance with these people: Our contact at Glenn Stone Insurance (GSI) is Lynley Evans, who manages some of our own insurance. Contact her at lynley@gsi.nz You can also use the tool on Frank Risk online. Click on the link here . Alternatively, we’d be happy to refer you to Tower Insurance. We’d need your authorisation to send them your contact details. Note that Tower do pay us a referral fee. Talk to us if you need to look at your life and health cover. If you haven’t reviewed your life, health, trauma, or income protection insurance recently, now may be a good time to do so. This is especially important if your life has changed. Did you get married, start a family, retire, come out of a relationship, take out a mortgage, or experience any other major changes in recent years? We’re not trying to sell you anything – just helping ensure your cover still meets your needs. Click on the link below to set up a call. There’s no charge.

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by Sue Tierney • 7 May 2025

The reason is simple. Something you may not think is important could actually matter a lot. It could save (or cost) you thousands of dollars. That’s why we’re always keen to catch up. Talking face-to-face on a video call is an opportunity to find out the things that don’t appear in an email or bank statement. Here’s an example: When a 'cash contribution' from the bank is a bad idea. Banks often use cashback offers or other sweeteners to encourage you to sign on the dotted line. This can be a good deal…or it can be a terrible one. It all depends on your personal circumstances. When we talk to you, we’ll ask questions like these: “Could you reduce your loan in the next few years with a lump sum from KiwiSaver?” “Are you expecting a windfall, such as an inheritance or company shares?” “Are you thinking of selling your house and buying in a cheaper location within the next three years?” Your answers to these questions (and the other questions we ask) will determine the type of loan that’s right for you. The sugar hit of a cash contribution from the bank might turn out to be a false economy, because it could end up locking you into a loan term that doesn’t match your objectives. Here's another example. Refinancing your loan might not be a done deal. Refixing with your bank is usually pretty straightforward. But moving to a new bank – i.e. refinancing your mortgage – may not be. First of all, you will have to go through a complete re-application process. Every lender will need a lot of detail, and their questions could be intrusive. That’s fair enough – they are checking if they want you as a customer. It’s a bigger deal than simply rolling over an existing loan. And you may not even be approved. Then you’re back to square one. Of course, there are times when refinancing is the right option – and we’ll be very happy to do it for you. But first we need to dig into your particular circumstances. So we ask a lot of questions. We're here to help you find the right loan. Your emails and phone calls are always welcome. At Sue Tierney Mortgages, we’re here to give advice whenever you’re thinking about rolling over a loan, taking out finance or changing your insurance. Try us. Click on the link below to set up a call. There’s no charge.

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by Sue Tierney • 25 March 2025

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Land lost but freedom gained