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Your First Home Loan Journey

How to Apply for a Home Loan in NZ — 6 Simple Steps
Buying your first home? Here's how the home loan (mortgage) process works, step by step.
1. Sort your depositMost lenders look for a 20% deposit, though some options exist with less. Your deposit can come from savings, KiwiSaver (including the First Home Withdrawal), or gifts from family.
2. Work out what you can borrowBefore house hunting, get a realistic picture of your budget. Lenders assess your income, expenses, debts, and deposit to work out how much they'll lend. Use an online calculator for a rough idea — then get it confirmed.
3. Get pre-approvalPre-approval (conditional approval) is a lender saying "yes, we'll lend you up to this amount" before you've found a house. It usually lasts around 60–90 days and puts you in a strong position to make an offer with confidence.
You'll typically need: proof of ID, payslips or income evidence, bank statements, and details of any debts.
4. Find your home and make an offerWith pre-approval in hand, you can offer on a property — either by negotiation or at auction. Make your offer conditional on finance, a builder's report, and a LIM report where possible (auctions are unconditional, so do your homework first).
5. Get full approvalOnce your offer is accepted, your lender confirms the details — usually a registered valuation and the sale and purchase agreement — and issues unconditional approval. Now you choose your loan structure: fixed, floating, or a mix, and your repayment term.
6. Settle and move inYour lawyer handles the paperwork, the loan is drawn down on settlement day, and the keys are yours. From here, your focus is simple: make your repayments and review your rate when each fixed term ends.
Tip: You don't have to figure this out alone — a mortgage adviser can compare lenders for you and manage the application from start to finish, usually at no cost to you.
Planning Your Budget
Know how much you can afford before you start house hunting. We’ll help you understand your deposit, loan eligibility, and the extra costs that come with buying.
Getting Pre-Approved
A pre-approval gives you a clear idea of what you can borrow. It shows sellers you’re serious and gives you the confidence to make an offer when the right home comes up.
Finding a Property & Making an Offer
Work with real estate agents, attend open homes, and do your research. Make sure you understand the property's condition, value, and legal details before moving forward. When you’re ready to buy, we’ll help make sure your offer is conditional (or unconditional) depending on what’s right for your situation.
Finalising Your Loan & Move In and Enjoy
Once your offer is accepted, we’ll finalise the loan, go through the structure and repayments with you, and make sure everything’s ready for settlement. Settlement day is when the property officially becomes yours. After that, it’s time to move in and make it home.
Apply now!