Lena Bykova - Mortgage Adviser, Valar

31/08/2026

🏡 Not sure what matters when choosing your first home?
Start with the right questions.

📘 Free First Home Buyer Guide + Coaching Workbook

👇 Check the link in the comments.

28/08/2026

After watching Elon Musk’s latest interview about a future of abundance where money may no longer be necessary, I started thinking about what our potential universal-income, post-information world could actually look like.
And what assets would still matter?

That took me into the economics of scarcity and scarce assets, and eventually I realised that buying a lifestyle property not too far from Auckland may actually have been quite a good investment decision, even though it was mostly intuitive at the time.
What do you think about this potential post-AI world? Especially those of us who sit in offices, scroll FB & LinkedIn and basically work with information every day. Any predictions?

Let’s talk about it.

AI could make almost everything cheap. It still can't make more land, energy, raw materials or hours in a day — and that changes where the next decade of savings should go.

26/08/2026

https://valar.co.nz/insights/articles/what-a-mortgage-adviser-actually-does

The paperwork is the smallest part of it. What comparison, lending policy and loan structure actually change, plus the two questions almost nobody asks.

26/08/2026

“Why do I even need an adviser?”

Fair question. Most people think an adviser gets you a better rate and sends your documents to the bank.

A lot of advisers do exactly that. But it’s the smallest part of the job.

The real work starts with the things you haven’t thought about yet.

✦ Strategy first — where you’re heading, before how much you’re borrowing.

✦ A structure built around your next several years, not just this purchase. Travel, a career change, a second property.

✦ I don’t just fix a rate. I build a split across different options, analyse each one, and show you the risk you’re carrying if rates rise.

The paperwork is part of the job. It isn’t the job.

The rate matters. But your strategy for the next several years and a structure built around your future goals matter far more.

Read Full article in comments 🔗

21/08/2026

The mortgage-rate bottom may already be behind us.
House prices, meanwhile, don't seem particularly impressed

That combination creates a very different market for borrowers and buyers.

Less competition for property doesn't automatically mean better affordability when borrowing capacity is moving the other way.

I looked at what has changed in August, where fixed rates now sit, and the decisions borrowers are actually facing.

Full update 👇

The OCR rose for the first time in three years, every main bank repriced, and unemployment hit a twelve-year high. Where the numbers sit, and what is driving them.

17/08/2026

“Rent is cheaper than buying.”

Sometimes it is. And sometimes by quite a lot.

💡But I think we often stop the comparison too early.
We compare this month’s rent with this month’s cost of owning a home and declare a winner.

The more interesting question is what happens to your finances over the next 10 or 20 years.

Buying has costs. No argument there.
But it also gradually converts part of your monthly payment into equity.

Renting can work financially too, especially if you take the money you save and invest it consistently.

❗️And there lies the small problem.

Excel table always invests the difference. Humans have weekends.

So I’m not really in the “rent is always dead money” camp.
Rent can give you freedom, mobility and lower costs at the right stage of life.

But if you choose renting for the long term, something else needs to be building in the background.

Because eventually the question becomes less about what you paid and more about what you built.

What do you think: buying or renting?
And more importantly, why?

       

15/06/2026

How I work❓

When people first reach me out, they usually have one specific question in mind.

A property they want to buy. A rate decision coming up. Something they saw on the news and want to understand.

That’s always a good starting point. But it’s rarely where the real work begins.

Swipe to see what we actually do together. ➡️

       

11/06/2026

Most people know how much they want to earn.

Far fewer know how much wealth they actually need.

       

11/06/2026

What are investments really for?

Many people focus on returns and on finding the «best» investment. I prefer to start with a different point.

✅ How do I preserve the value I create today and carry it into the future?

To me, investing is the transfer of value from today into the future. Growing wealth matters, but preserving it matters too.

Property, KiwiSaver, shares, bonds, businesses and cash can all play a role. The right mix depends on the person, their goals and the life they’re trying to build.

My own views have changed over time. Today I prefer diversification because different assets play different roles and behave differently in different market conditions.

✦ What do investments mean to you?

✦ Which investments do you feel most comfortable with?

✦ What would you like to learn more about?

       

11/06/2026

Before applying for a mortgage, spend some time thinking about the decision, not just the property.

Most people spend weeks comparing houses, attending open homes, checking floor plans, and researching suburbs.

Far fewer spend the same amount of time thinking about how the decision will affect their finances, lifestyle, and future plans.

When I work with clients, these are three areas I encourage them to think about before making an offer.

Swipe for more ➡️