While 20% is the ideal, many lenders accept as little as 5–10% for first-home buyers — especially with KiwiSaver or a guarantor. We’ll assess what’s realistic for your situation and guide you through your best options.

Yes. If you're a first home buyer and you've been contributing to KiwiSaver for at least 3 years, you can usually withdraw most of your savings — We'll guide you through.

We’ve helped hundreds of buyers who were told “no” get the right answer elsewhere. Our lender panel looks beyond tick-box criteria — and we know how to structure your case to make it work.

We do the maths with you — and for you. That means comparing your current repayments, interest, and remaining term against what’s possible elsewhere. Sometimes a lower rate doesn’t mean big savings once fees are factored in. We’ll give you a clear yes-or-no answer, not a sales pitch.

Absolutely. If you’ve built up equity and want to fund a reno, help the kids, or make a new investment move, we can often do a top-up — sometimes without switching banks. If switching gets you better terms too, we’ll show you that as well. You stay in control.

Not with us. Yes, there’s an application — but we streamline the process, request only what’s needed, and handle the legwork with banks and solicitors. Most clients are surprised by how easy it is when they’ve got someone managing it all in the background.

Not always. Some lenders insist on fixed-price contracts to limit risk, but other lenders offer more flexibility. We’ll assess your lender options based on your builder, budget, and build type.

Yes — we can often arrange lending that lets you purchase the land now and either top up later or pre-structure the full land + build package. Just be aware of valuation and approval expiry timelines — we’ll guide you.

We plan for that upfront. We’ll work with you to create buffer strategies, lender contingencies, and funding flexibility — so your dream doesn’t become a financial headache.

Not always. With the right bridging loan, you can buy first, then sell — giving you more control and less pressure. We’ll help assess whether it’s the right move for your situation.

Yes. If you’ve built up equity in your first property, you can often use it as a deposit on your second — either via top-up or cross-collateralised lending. We’ll structure it to suit your plans.

No problem. We can help get you conditionally pre-approved, so when the right opportunity comes, you’re ready to act — and know your financial position upfront.

For most bank lenders, it’s 30% — but some non-bank lenders allow less, especially for strong earners or low-risk properties. We’ll walk you through all your options, including using equity as your deposit.

Yes — but banks and non-banks use different “rental shading” formulas to calculate what percentage of rent they count. We help maximise your assessed income and improve your borrowing power.

You’re not alone — most investors do eventually. We work with non-bank and specialist lenders who take a more flexible approach to servicing, income, and portfolio lending.

Yes — that’s called owner-occupied commercial lending. In this case, the lender will assess both you (as borrower) and the strength of the business. We can help set up an appropriate structure — often with separate “operating company” and “property company” entities for asset protection.

Usually yes, but not always. A strong tenant and lease gives banks confidence in your property’s income. However, we also work with non-bank lenders who can fund vacant or transitional properties. We’ll assess your deal and match you with lenders who suit the situation.

Yes. If your property has grown in value, or your LVR is low, we can help release equity for other investments, business use, or cashflow. We’ll guide you through the valuation, servicing, and documentation process.

Yes — but it depends on your project size, experience, and the lender. Non-bank and private lenders are often more flexible on presales than the banks. We’ll help you structure the deal so the presale requirement doesn’t kill your project.

Happens all the time. That’s why we model contingencies and make sure your loan structure includes buffers. If needed, we can also arrange top-ups or bridging options to get you through to CCC, titles, or sale.

Yes — land banking loans are common. We’ll find you funding for the land now and plan a staged transition into construction finance once you're ready to go vertical.

Not always. Some lenders offer unsecured options, especially for smaller loans or strong cashflow businesses. We’ll walk you through secured vs unsecured options based on your situation.

Working capital lending is typically shorter term, and focused on maintaining cashflow (like covering invoices or purchasing stock). A standard loan is often for bigger, longer-term investments (e.g. new equipment, expansions). We’ll help decide what fits best.

In many cases, within 2–5 working days — sometimes faster. Non-bank lenders tend to offer faster decisions and flexible processes, especially if you can provide recent financials or bank statements.

It’s short-term lending to help finish a development that’s near completion but underfunded. It’s typically used to cover final invoices, delays to CCC/title, or last-mile costs when a bank won’t extend.

Banks often require full documentation, presales, and timeline certainty — which can fall apart at the tail end of a project. If your timeline slips or cost-to-complete goes over budget, banks may decline to extend.

In urgent cases, 2–5 working days. If we have QS reports, valuations, and updated build status ready, we can move fast — especially with private lenders who focus on asset-backed lending.

Not always. Many non-bank lenders accept alternative documentation (alt-doc) — like bank statements, GST returns, or accountant declarations — especially if you’ve been trading for at least 6–12 months. We’ll assess what’s acceptable for your situation before applying.

Yes — as long as we can show overall affordability and explain the pattern. We often work with clients in industries like construction, design, and hospitality where income naturally varies month to month.

Stay on top of tax returns, manage expenses well, and keep clear income records — but don’t stress if things aren’t perfect. We’ll help you present your case in the best light and advise what to tidy up if needed.

Almost anything — from consolidating credit cards and personal loans, to funding a reno, investing in your business, or helping family. As long as there’s enough equity and a clear plan to repay, we can help structure the right solution.

Sometimes you want to access extra funds without breaking your existing home loan, or you can’t get further funding from your first mortgage holder. A second mortgage lets you access extra funds to achieve your goals.

Often within 3–5 working days. The process is usually much faster than full refinancing — and we guide you through everything from documentation to settlement.

No — not if the deal is structured right. That’s where we come in. We’ll work with you to build in buffer time, assess your fallback options, and ensure there’s a solid exit plan even if timelines shift. Getting the “what ifs” covered early is key to stress-free bridging.

Absolutely. We work with a wide panel of non-bank and private lenders who are flexible - especially if there’s good equity and a clear exit strategy. We’ll show you what’s realistic.

Fast. With the right documents, we’ve secured bridging approvals in 2–5 days — sometimes even quicker with private lenders. Speed depends on the clarity of your situation and how prepared you are. We’ll help you get everything lined up early.

Yes — depending on the details. We look at when the credit issues happened, how severe they were, and what your financial situation looks like now. Some lenders are happy to lend if the issues are older or explainable. We’ll position your case to give you the best chance — and be honest if it’s not quite time yet.

Some non-bank lenders will accept 5–10%, especially with strong income or a guarantor. We'll also look at how your KiwiSaver, or gifted funds could boost your deposit — and structure things to work with what you’ve got.

Yes — and we’ll show you how. Sometimes a “no” now just means a “yes” six months from now with a few changes. We’ll give you a plan to improve your score, your deposit, or your financials so you're in the best shape possible next time.