Latest news with #Lomberg
The Citizen
21-04-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Practical financial tips to fast-track the journey to homeownership
The recent Budget Speech underscored the ongoing challenges facing the country, many of which will impact consumers. However, Gavin Lomberg, CEO of ooba Home Loans, emphasises that a favourable interest rate environment helps ease financial pressure, making homeownership more accessible for aspiring buyers. Adding to this, Lomberg notes that while saving for a deposit is always the obvious answer, there are various other avenues that homebuyers can leverage to generate further savings in the long-term. 'If planned carefully and correctly, the journey to homeownership can be a rewarding one,' he says. 'By taking calculated steps under the guidance of trusted professionals, would-be homeowners can save tens of thousands on their home loan, making homeownership an affordable and attainable goal.' Pointing to the prevailing trend of building generational wealth, Lomberg adds, 'Homeownership goes beyond simply owning 'four walls' and a place to live. Today, aspiring homebuyers are leveraging property ownership as a wealth creation strategy for their families and future generations.' Five Extra Ways to Save Purchase properties under the new transfer duty limit Effective 1 April 2025, and subject to approval by Parliament of SA's 2025 Budget, the threshold for exemption from paying transfer duty has been raised by 10% from R1.1m to R1.21m, with all subsequent tiers raised by 10%. 'This adjustment is particularly beneficial for first-time homebuyers where the average purchase price currently sits at just slightly over the R1.21m mark,' says Lomberg, adding that it reduces the upfront costs associated with buying a home and will enable more South Africans to realise their dream of homeownership. Transfer duties are taxes paid to SARS, starting at 3% of the purchase price, depending on the price bracket. However, Lomberg emphasises that buyers are still responsible for conveyancing fees, bond registration fees and Deeds Office fees. Use a home loan comparison service to secure a better interest rate 'Rather than simply approaching your bank for a home loan, it's strongly advised to shop around for comparative quotes,' says Lomberg. 'A home loan comparison service like ooba Home Loans will negotiate with multiple banks on your behalf, ensuring that they compete for your business. In a competitive lending environment, this can translate into significant monthly savings.' As an example, Lomberg notes that ooba Home Loans' average interest rate for customers is currently prime minus 0.55%. 'If you were to accept a home loan of R 1m at the current prime lending rate of 11%, you would pay R10,332 per month, versus R9,950 with an interest rate of prime minus 0.55%. Additionally, homebuyers can choose to pay the higher amount each month to pay off their home loan sooner.' Access the First Home Finance government grant The First Home Finance grant is a subsidy for first-time homebuyers earning between R3,500 and R22,000 per month. 'This government subsidy can either be paid towards a home loan or can be allocated towards a deposit,' explains Lomberg. To qualify, applicants must be: South African citizens living in South Africa. Not have received this housing subsidy before. Be married, cohabiting, or single with financial dependents. Be over the age of 18. Not have previously owned a residential property. The subsidy amount ranges between R30,001 and R130,505, depending on income and affordability. Take advantage of attractive bank discounts and incentives In a competitive lending environment, South Africa's major banks continue to attract buyers with special offers, competitive interest rates and other discounts. 'Each bank's offering differs, but homebuyers can benefit from incentives such as discounts on bond registration costs and an additional discount in their home loan interest rate when moving their primary banking account to the approving bank,' says Lomberg. Buy-to-let as a path to property investment For those looking to enter the property market, a buy-to-let strategy can be an effective way to start building generational wealth. 'Rather than living in their newly purchased home, the homebuyer rents it out while continuing to rent elsewhere or live with family or friends.' Known as 'rentvesting', this strategy allows buyers to generate rental income to help cover their home loan and related costs. 'Over time, homeowners may choose to expand their property portfolio or move into the home once they have greater financial flexibility.' By leveraging these financial strategies, whether through lower interest rates, government subsidies or strategic investment choices, homebuyers can make the path to homeownership more affordable and achievable. 'With careful planning and the right financial tools, securing a home in 2025 may well be more attainable than you first thought.' Issued by: Kristly Bartlett
Miami Herald
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
As he faces former team, Ryan Lomberg's appreciation for Panthers still on full display
Need a reminder of how much Ryan Lomberg still appreciates the Florida Panthers? Look no further than his pregame comments Thursday before the Calgary Flames played the Tampa Bay Lightning. Speaking on ice before puck drop in Tampa, Lomberg was asked how it felt being back in the state of Florida, where he spent four seasons playing for the Panthers that was capped by winning a Stanley Cup last season. 'I like the palm trees and the sunshine,'' he said, 'but I [expletive] hate these guys.' The comment went viral, and Lomberg a day later said the comment was made more so for his former Panthers teammates than it was to the Lightning. 'I was thinking of the boys when I said that for sure,'' Lomberg said Friday after Calgary's practice at Amerant Bank Arena ahead of the Panthers-Flames game on Saturday afternoon. 'It was weird being back, for sure. Some crazy ups and downs in that arena. It's cool the way I left it off there, obviously beating them in the first round and then going on to win the Stanley Cup. It's a good way to end that rivalry for me.' Lomberg was a fan favorite while playing for Florida. The no-nonsense, physical forward was a staple of the Panthers' fourth line during his tenure. He had no problem dropping the gloves and fighting anyone who would accept — and despite being slightly undersized for a mauler at 5-9 and 184 pounds would punch well above his weight class and do his signature hair flip as he strolled to the penalty box afterward. The Panthers will honor Lomberg during the first period on Saturday in his first game back since leaving for Calgary after the Cup run. He's sure to get a healthy round of applause from the home crowd after the tribute video plays. 'From the game perspective, they're about as good a team as anyone in the league,' Lomberg said of his former team, 'so we've got to bring our A game for sure to give ourselves a chance here and stay committed to our game plan, which I'm confident we can. And then obviously, kind of the other side of it, I'm excited to see how they react and be around the fans and interacting with them and just making sure they know how much I miss them.' They certainly miss him. Lomberg saw his career truly take off during his time with the Panthers. When Lomberg signed with Florida ahead of the 2020-21 season, he had played in just 11 total NHL games over two seasons with Calgary before Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito took a chance on him. But each year with the Panthers, Lomberg saw his role increase more and more. He became an everyday player in the 2022-23 season and was integral during both of Florida's runs to the Stanley Cup Final, including winning it all last season. In four seasons, Lomberg scored 28 goals and had 49 total points to go along with 535 hits. He also took part in 15 fights during that span. Lomberg had three goals and 107 hits in 32 playoff games. 'I love Billy for bringing me in and having confidence in me, keeping me around for four years and giving me the chance to win a championship for his squad,' Lomberg said. 'I became a full time NHLer here. Amazing memories. It was fun to be a part of. Now, I moved on, and I'm at a different point in my career. I'm excited to bring the energy to Calgary and make sure I'm pushing the pace here and bringing that winning culture to Calgary.' Lomberg is the seventh member of Florida's Stanley Cup team to make his return to Amerant Bank Arena as an opponent this season. The Panthers have honored goaltender Anthony Stolarz, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Steven Lorentz when the Toronto Maple Leafs came to town on Nov. 27; forward Vladimir Tarasenko when the Detroit Red Wings came to Sunrise on Jan. 16; and defensemen Brandon Montour and Josh Mahura when the Seattle Kraken were here Feb. 22. An eighth, forward Kevin Stenlund, will get his welcome-back treatment on March 28 when Florida hosts the Utah Hockey Club. Forward Nick Cousins, who now plays for the Ottawa Senators, did not make the trip to South Florida for Ottawa's lone road game against the Panthers on Feb. 8 while he recovers from surgery. 'It's great to share that with Ryan and the fans,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, 'because he had a connection there and a connection certainly to our team. You do get to enjoy it. These guys are all playing on other teams now, but they still feel like they're yours. They're part of that collective memory that we have that will never change. So I'm happy for him to get to get to share that.'
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers aim for third straight win as homestand continues against Calgary
The Florida Panthers have been getting some positive results lately. Currently enjoying a season-long-tying five-game homestand, the Cats have won seven of their past nine games overall and enter play Saturday one point behind Toronto for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. Florida will look to make it three straight wins overall when they host the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. This will be the second meeting of the season between the Panthers and Flames. Florida was shutout by rookie Dustin Wolf in what was the second of back-to-back blankings the Cats suffered during their swing through western Canada. Calgary currently sits one point behind Vancouver for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They arrive in South Florida with several former Panthers players on the roster, one of whom will be getting a warm welcome and 'thank you' video on the jumbotron. Ryan Lomberg spent the past four seasons with the Panthers, acting as a physical and emotional leader on and off the ice for the Cats during his tenure. Lomberg played an integral role in Florida's culture change, helping cultivate one of the best locker room atmospheres in the league. Even as recently as Thursday night, when Calgary played the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lomberg couldn't help but let his Panthers roots shine through in a very public way. Asked during the pregame warmup about his history inside Amalie Arena and with the Lightning, Lomberg paused for a moment before dropping an absolutely epic response. 'I like the palm trees and the sunshine, but I f--king hate these guys.' Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday's dance with the Flames: Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Evan Rodrigues Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt Scratches: Matthew Tkachuk Caption for photo at top of page: Dec 14, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Jonathan Huberdeau (10) and Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) fights for position in front of Florida Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight (30) during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images) LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA The Hockey Show: Painful moments, 4 Nations fallout and lots of F-bombs Three takeaways: Panthers receive steady play from Lundell line, third defensive pairing 3-point game from Lundell helps push Panthers past Edmonton in Stanley Cup Final rematch Paul Maurice won't rush Matthew Tkachuk back into Panthers lineup, calls injury 'near-term' Panthers welcome Oilers back to Sunrise for Stanley Cup Final rematch
