Personalised Mortgages - Jash Chandra

The 𝗞ā𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗢𝗿𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗮𝗻 could get you into a home with just a 5% deposit. Here's how it works.

The First Home Loan, underwritten by Kāinga Ora lets eligible buyers purchase with as little as a 5% deposit.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀:
• Available through Westpac, Kiwibank, ASB, The Co-op and SBS Bank
• Income caps apply - check kaingaora.govt.nz for current limits
• You must intend to live in the property and have a good credit history

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:
The First Home Grant was abolished in May 2024. It's not coming back (based on current information)

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:
KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal - if you've been a member for 3+ years, you can likely withdraw most of your balance as part of your deposit.

A mortgage advisor can check whether you qualify, what your budget looks like under the scheme, and which of the three banks suits you best.

Book a chat: personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

General advice only - eligibility and caps subject to change. Check kaingaora.govt.nz for current criteria.

Two out of three 𝗞𝗶𝘄𝗶 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 now use a mortgage adviser. Here's why that number keeps growing.

It's not because mortgages are getting more complicated (though they are). It's because people have realised an advisor generally doesn't cost them anything but adds a huge amount of value.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀:
→ Compares products across multiple lenders (not just one bank's range)
→ Knows which lenders are more flexible on income types, deposit sizes, or property types
→ Handles the paperwork and bank conversations on your behalf
→ Gets paid by the lender, not you

It's a bit like having a buying agent - except it's free to you.

If you've been going directly to your bank and wondering whether you're on the best deal, the answer is: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸.

We're happy to take a look. No obligation.

personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

You don't need a 20% deposit to buy your first home in New Zealand.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻:

With a 20% deposit you can access the special rates. But there are ways in with less:

𝗞ā𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗢𝗿𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗮𝗻: Backed by the government, this lets eligible first-home buyers purchase with as little as 5% deposit. Available through Westpac, Kiwibank, and SBS Bank. Income and house price caps apply.

𝗟𝗼𝘄-𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸: Some banks will lend up to 95% (5% deposit) to first-home buyers, within RBNZ lending rules.

𝗞𝗶𝘄𝗶𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿: If you've been a KiwiSaver member for 3+ years, you may be able to withdraw most of your balance towards your deposit. With the contribution rate now at 3.5% (up from April 2026), your savings are building faster than they were a year ago.

The right path depends on your income, savings, and what you're buying.

Book a chat: personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

General advice only - eligibility criteria subject to change. Check kaingaora.govt.nz for current limits.

Been told you can't get a
mortgage because you're 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱? That's not
always the whole story.

Banks have strict income verification requirements -
typically two years of financial statements and tax
returns. For sole traders and business owners, that can
feel like a dead end.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: some lenders
accept alternative documentation instead. Six months
of GST returns or business bank statements can be
enough to verify your income with the right lender.

𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 like Pepper and Avanti also
operate in this space - and they look at the bigger
picture rather than just a standard template.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 who understands
self-employed lending. It's not harder - it's just
different. And different requires someone who knows
which lenders to approach.

If you've been knocked back or talked yourself out of
applying, come and have a chat first.

personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

✨ Happy Matariki from PML!

As we celebrate the Māori New Year, may this be a time to reflect on the past, appreciate the present, and look ahead with confidence.

Wishing you and your whānau a safe, peaceful, and meaningful Matariki. 🌌

Winter gets a bad rap in the property market. For 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀, it's actually not a bad time.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆:

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Spring and summer bring out more buyers - more bidding wars, more pressure to decide quickly. In winter, the pool shrinks. That's good for you.

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. NZ has about 24 weeks of property on the market right now - close to the long-term average. Plenty to look at.

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲. Less chance you're dealing with someone just testing the market.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: getting your pre-approval sorted now means you're ready when spring arrives - ahead of the competitive buyers.

If you're thinking about buying in the next 6–12 months, now's a good time to talk to a advisor and get your numbers straight.

Book a chat: personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲?

If it's been more than a year - or you just rolled off a fixed term - it's worth a quick check.

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 12 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. What was competitive then might not be now. And with the RBNZ reviewing the OCR on 8 July, the mid-year point is a smart time to look at things..

𝗔 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Most people who do one either confirm they're on a good deal (peace of mind), or find they can save money by restructuring or refinancing (real dollars back in their pocket).

Takes about 30 minutes with a advisor. No obligation.

Book a chat: personalisedmortgages.co.nz/contact-us/

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁-𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 (𝗜𝗢) 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. They keep repayments lower during the IO window, which helps with cash flow.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲: when the IO period ends, you revert to principal and interest (P&I). Repayments can increase significantly - depending on your loan size and remaining term.

If you're not sure when your IO period expires, check your loan documents or call your bank. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼:

→ Refinance into a new IO period (some lenders allow this)
→ Switch to P&I and plan the cash flow change
→ Restructure the loan entirely

Don't leave this until the month it happens.

General advice only - speak to an advisor about your situation.

𝗦𝗵𝗲'𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗞𝗶𝘄𝗶𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: $39,000. She thought that wasn't enough for a deposit on an Auckland townhouse at $780,000.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: one of the main banks offers a 5% depsoit loan, as well as Kiango Ora's first home loan scheme where you can buy with a 5 % deposit.

If you've been building your KiwiSaver without doing the actual maths on what you can buy - it might be worth a conversation.

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 - 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Banks in New Zealand typically want two years of financials - tax returns, profit and loss statements - showing consistent income before they'll lend to a self-employed borrower.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿:
- 12 months of business bank statements showing consistent cash flow
- A letter from your accountant confirming income and trading position

The process and the rates look a little different, but for the right borrower it gets the job done when the bank won't.

If you've been turned down, or you've been told to wait until you have more financials, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗡𝗭 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆.

General advice only - speak to an advisor about your situation.