Start with your finances, not the listings
Get a realistic read on what you can borrow before you start seriously looking, a mortgage broker or lender can walk you through pre-approval, which sharpens your search and puts you in a stronger position once you find the right property. See thinking of buying for the fuller picture on getting your support team in place.
Government support that’s actually still available
The Kāinga Ora First Home Grant closed to new applications in 2024 and isn’t currently available to new buyers. Two things that are still active as of this guide: the KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal (available if you’ve been a KiwiSaver member for at least three years, with a minimum balance left in your account), and the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan, which allows eligible buyers to purchase with a lower deposit than the standard 20% through participating lenders. Eligibility criteria and settings do change, so check current details directly with Kāinga Ora or Inland Revenue rather than relying on anything written here as final.
How much deposit do you actually need?
This depends on the lender, the loan type, and whether you’re using a low-deposit option like the First Home Loan, your mortgage broker or lender gives you the real, current answer for your situation rather than a generic figure.
Common first-home-buyer mistakes
Skipping a building report to save cost, not reading the sale and purchase agreement conditions properly before signing, being reluctant to ask agents direct questions at open homes, and underestimating costs beyond the mortgage (rates, insurance, moving costs, minor repairs). None of these are complicated to avoid, they just take a bit of deliberate attention rather than assuming it’ll be fine.
Use the tools already on this site
Our free property report gives you an instant estimate for any address, and a full appraisal gives you a considered, human read on a specific property, useful whether you’re weighing up your own future sale or trying to understand what a property you’re looking at might actually be worth.