Photos: Berry Real Estate
What to expect
Buying a home goes in a usual order: work out what you can spend, find a home, see it, make an offer, then settlement, when the home becomes yours.
- Talk to your bank or a mortgage adviser early, so you know what you can borrow before you fall for a home.
- Pick a lawyer or conveyancer before you make an offer. They read the agreement with you and handle settlement.
- Every listing on this site names its agent. You can ask them anything, at any step.
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First home? Four money things to find out early
Before you fall for a home, it helps to know these four. Each links to the official page that explains it; the date says when Berry last checked that page.
- Pre-approval. A conditional pre-approval from a bank or lender shows the price range you can buy in. Settled.govt.nz says it is usually free, usually lasts three months, and is needed to bid at an auction with a home loan.
- Your deposit. There are two: the share of the price your lender asks you to put in yourself, and the deposit paid when the sale and purchase agreement is signed. Settled.govt.nz explains both.
- KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal. Inland Revenue says it is for people who have been in KiwiSaver for at least three years, that a set amount stays in the account (its page says how much), and that you apply through your KiwiSaver provider. Kāinga Ora covers people who have owned a home before. Ask your provider early how long it takes, so it is ready before settlement.
- First Home Loan eligibility. The government's First Home Loan lowers the deposit eligible first home buyers need (the Ministry's page gives the figure). Kāinga Ora sets who is eligible; find out whether you are before you count on it.
- Kāinga Ora: First Home Loan, who is eligible (opens in a new tab) checked 8 Nov 2026
- The Ministry's First Home Loan page (updated 22 May 2025) (opens in a new tab) checked 8 Nov 2026
This is a list of things to find out, not financial advice. Berry is a real estate agency: questions about borrowing go to your bank or a financial adviser, and about KiwiSaver to your KiwiSaver provider.
Berry's director is checking this wording.