Not a week goes buy where I don’t hear of the difficulties associated with buying digital assets like Bitcoin, from regulated institutions – all in the name of safety, they gate keep, ticket clip, dilute, surveil, ration, throttle, censor, inflate, tax, sequester, audit, and potentially even confiscate wealth that belongs to the people. The last
The US government’s officially reported debt stands at about $37 trillion, but legendary investor Rick Rule boldly asserts the real figure, including all off-balance sheet liabilities, is closer to $150 trillion. This captures not just the national debt, but also the net present value of unfunded obligations like Social Security, Medicare, and various pensions. Yes,
The Official Cash Rate (OCR), which influences the floating mortgage rate, and short term fixed-rates, dropped last week. Everyone has a view around what SHOULD happen, but no one's talking about what WILL happen. Most economists predict the Reserve Bank will deliver perhaps one more 0.25% cut, with Kiwibank being the outlier forecasting a 2.0%
Last week, a seemingly routine visit to my local dentist, Dr Hau, after chipping a tooth, turned out to be unexpectedly insightful. He recognised me from my podcast, and our conversation shifted from dental repairs to the idea of using a gold filling for my tooth. As the gloved fingers of the dental assistant gently
It’s a question that every DIY investor must confront at some stage. Fresh research from the Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission shows more than half of New Zealanders feel uncomfortable heading into retirement. Most regret not having planned sooner. Many discover, and this is true with people I talk with also, that managing an
When The Bell Rings, A Meal's Not Far Off. Call it good timing, luck, or good fortune, but I was able to understand and exploit how property must increase in price, relatively early on. When I could, I took advantage of what could be called a bug, or a feature, of a broken system. For
It's Time Adjusted for inflation, New Zealand’s property prices have cratered over the last 3–4 years. For Kiwis with a lump of lead in the belly, take heart. This downturn isn’t just an omen of doom, it’s the sound of opportunity. For first home buyers and upgraders, the ladder has never been more visible, especially
When Process Trumps People. There’s a special kind of regret that comes only after you’ve made a parenting call that would make your own mother shake her head. Picture this: a holiday, a bit of nostalgia, and a couple of shiny metal cap guns for the kids (because, of course, the best souvenirs are the
Why Does It Feel Like We're Being Watched? If you’re a homeowner, or thinking about getting onto the property ladder, consider this theory: New Zealand is an experiment. The Reserve Bank of NZ hiked interest rates quicker/faster/farther than anyone thought possible, and now our economy is paying the price. It's too much. Yes, it was
Originally published in the Herald 29/06/25, by Darcy Ungaro If Not Property, Then What? Remember when a property was just a home? There was a time when a house wasn’t an “asset” but simply shelter for families. Fast forward, and now property is the investment of choice for most Kiwis, myself included, as a way
