• Becoming a homeowner from a renter from is a big step, and one you should feel confident about this decision. We’ll walk you through the benefits of renting and buying to understand if it is the right time for you to make the move.

  • Key mantra is: “More you put, less you borrow”. It certainly helps to have a larger down payment or deposit, the amount you can borrow will depend on what you can afford. Certainly a 20% deposit under current LVR thresholds can help you to secure good interest rates and other favorable loan options. We’ll help you to understand realistic scenario.

  • Generally speaking, the higher your credit score, the more likely it is that you’ll qualify to secure funding. You may still be able to qualify for a home loan with a low credit score, but it will be subject to lender decision. There’s no harm in talking, get in touch with us today.

  • Account conduct with your current bank is very important as it depicts your ability to manage personal funds and it gives confidence to the lender to lend. Always make sure that your account is operating within agreed limits. However, things don’t always work out the way you want hence, there is no harm in talking to us to explore your options.

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Mortgage Toolkit

Mortgage Toolkit — by Mortgage Pundit

Deposit & LVR, repayments, and extra-payment strategies — all in one place.

Current RBNZ settings (as at July 2026, last eased 1 Dec 2025): Owner-occupier loans above 80% LVR (under 20% deposit) are "high-LVR" — banks can do this for up to 25% of new owner-occupier lending. Investor loans above 70% LVR (under 30% deposit) are "high-LVR" — capped at 10% of new investor lending. New builds are exempt. These are bank-wide caps, not a guarantee for any individual loan, and change periodically.
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Your LVR vs the high-LVR threshold

Indicative only, not a lending decision. Individual banks apply their own credit criteria on top of RBNZ settings and may decline or price high-LVR lending differently. Kāinga Ora First Home Loans (from 5% deposit) are exempt from these restrictions but have their own income and eligibility caps. Speak with Mortgage Pundit to confirm what's achievable for your situation today.
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Principal vs interest, over the full loan term

Principal (what you borrowed)
Interest (the cost of borrowing)

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Loan balance over time, with extra payments

Standard schedule
With extra payments
Figures are illustrative estimates only, not financial advice or a loan offer. Assumes a constant interest rate for the full term, equal payments each period, and no fees. The 1/6-of-monthly default extra payment is a rule of thumb for accelerating payoff — actual results vary with your interest rate.