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Mortgage A to Z

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Mortgage A to Z

Helping Kiwis achieve their property goals.

03/09/2026

The Kāinga Ora First Home Loan helps Kiwis get onto the property ladder earlier by allowing people to buy with as little as a 5% deposit without being charged additional interest rates.

Here's what you need to know:

• You must meet the income criteria. Over the past 12 months, you must have earned:

$95,000 or less as a single applicant
$150,000 or less as a couple or single applicant with dependants

• You must show employment stability. This is usually defined as 12 months in the same job, or 24 months of industry experience.

• You can't be buying a property larger than 1 hectare.

• You can't be buying a property deemed to have too much maintenance owing on it.

• You pay Kāinga Ora a fee of 1.2% of the loan amount. This can be added to your mortgage. You then get offered the same interest rates as though you have a 20% deposit.

If you only have a 5% deposit, this can definitely save you money. If you have a 10% deposit, it's likely this can still save you money.

If, however, you have a 15% deposit, it's likely we can save you money by not using the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan.

We've helped over 100 households get approved via the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan and are happy to talk you through your options and whether it could be right for you.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

02/09/2026

Once you have a 20% deposit and the affordability, it's pretty easy to hold onto the extra deposit. We've helped a number of clients do this in similar situations.

If the property you're buying is being sold at auction, you'll need to be unconditionally approved to be able to bid.

It's highly unlikely you'll be able to bid subject to the sale of your existing property, so you'll either need to have this sold or get approved for an open bridge.

To get approved for an open bridge via a main bank, they'll have to deem that you can afford to own both properties at once, which can be tough.

Getting approved for an open bridge via a non-bank can be a lot easier, but it can also be very costly.

Once approved for the bridge loan, you should be able to access the money to pay the initial deposit.

If you're looking at selling your current home, buying another and keeping some of your equity aside for renovations, we're happy to look at your situation and talk you through what's possible.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

30/08/2026

Where do the banks get the money they lend to you for a mortgage? Some of it comes from people's deposits.

If your money is sitting in a transactional account, they give you nothing for it. If it's in a savings account, they pay you a low interest rate, which you get taxed on. Then the banks lend you back your own money at a higher interest rate.

This is where offsetting comes in.

What you can do is break off a portion of your loan and set up an offset account. Think of this offset as similar to an overdraft facility.

With an offset, however, you don't actually put money into the offset account itself. You link your bank accounts to the offset, and the money in your bank accounts acts as though it's paying off the offset account.

A few other things to know:

• The banks calculate the interest costs daily on your offset, so even having money in the linked accounts for a couple of days can decrease your interest costs.

• The money you have in your linked accounts will no longer earn interest.

• Your repayments on the offset portion stay the same. The bank reduces the interest charged based on how much you have in your linked accounts, meaning more of your repayment goes towards reducing the principal balance you owe.

• The offset portion of your mortgage is on a floating rate, not a fixed rate. This is usually a higher interest rate and can change with little notice, normally when the OCR changes.

• Money you've set aside for emergencies can potentially work harder linked to an offset account rather than sitting in a savings account or term deposit earning interest that you'll then be taxed on.

• You don't get paid into the offset account or put money directly into it. You continue using your normal bank accounts and link them to the offset.

At Mortgage A to Z, around 70% of our clients have an offset mortgage. It's a great way to potentially reduce your interest costs and pay your loan off faster without having to increase your repayments.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

27/08/2026

Coming up to the end of your fixed term?
Before simply choosing another rate, take the opportunity to review your mortgage.

Think about whether:

• Your income or expenses have changed
• You could afford higher repayments
• You have extra savings available
• Your future plans have changed
• Your current loan structure still suits you

Refixing is a good opportunity to make sure your mortgage still works for where you are now.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

26/08/2026

Could you be mortgage-free sooner than you think?

Making extra repayments, reviewing your loan structure or changing how frequently you make repayments can all make a difference over the life of your mortgage.

The right approach will depend on your loan and your circumstances, but it’s worth knowing what options you have.

We can help you look at your current mortgage and see what may work better for you.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

21/08/2026

Your current bank might be a good option for your home loan, but it isn't necessarily your only option.

Different lenders have different policies, lending criteria and ways of assessing an application.

We can look at your situation, compare your options and help you understand which direction may suit you. Whether you're buying, refinancing or simply want to know where you stand, we're here to help.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

20/08/2026

Found a home you love? Before you make an offer, make sure you understand your financial position and any conditions you may need to include.
Having the right advice beforehand can help you make an offer with more confidence and avoid unexpected problems later.

A little preparation can make a big difference when the right property comes along.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

19/08/2026

We've had clients accepted by agents to bid while only being able to pay a small deposit on auction day.

Here's a simple example:

You have a planned $140,000 deposit:
• $130,000 in KiwiSaver
• $10,000 in savings

You also have $25,000 in cash that you were planning to keep for renovations.

You could use that $25,000 to make up a $35,000 deposit on auction day.

When settlement day comes around, your $130,000 KiwiSaver and mortgage funds come through. Because you've already paid $35,000, only $105,000 of your planned $140,000 deposit is still required.

That leaves $25,000 from your KiwiSaver funds, effectively replacing the cash you temporarily used for the auction deposit.

There can be other options too, so it's worth getting advice before auction day and knowing exactly what you have available to work with.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

14/08/2026

Can you use your KiwiSaver to buy land now and build later?

Yes, it can be possible. We've had a good number of people approved to use their KiwiSaver to purchase land without having immediate plans to build.

There are a few things to consider from both the KiwiSaver withdrawal and mortgage side, including your deposit, current rent and potential valuation requirements.

We've broken down the key points in this post.

If buying land is something you're considering, it's worth understanding your options before you make an offer.

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

13/08/2026

hinking about buying a home but not sure where you stand? You don't need to have everything figured out before speaking to us.

We'll look at your situation, talk through what you're trying to achieve and help you understand what your options are. Whether you're ready to buy now or you're still planning ahead, a conversation is a good place to start.

Ready to see what's possible?

📞 0800 629 629
🌐 maz.co.nz

Address

71 Orbell Street
Sydenham
8023

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 7pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 7pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 7pm
Thursday	8:30am - 7pm
Friday	8:30am - 5:30pm

Website

http://maz.co.nz/

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