First Home Buyers

Buying your first home is easier to manage when finance, property research and legal advice begin before you make an offer. This guide outlines the main steps for first-home buyers considering property in Kaikohe or Ngawha.

Understand your budget

Speak with a lender or mortgage adviser about deposit requirements, borrowing capacity and loan approval. Allow for legal fees, building inspections, valuation, insurance, moving and immediate maintenance rather than using the purchase price as your entire budget.

Build your property brief

Separate essential requirements from preferences. Consider location, transport, bedrooms, parking, heating, condition, section maintenance and future plans. A lower purchase price may still require substantial repair or service costs.

Research each property

Ask for the available title, council and sale documents. Your solicitor can review the agreement and legal information. A building inspector and other specialists can assess matters outside the salesperson’s expertise.

Understand the sale method

Buying by negotiation, deadline, tender or auction involves different timing and offer requirements. Auction purchases are normally unconditional, so finance and due diligence must be completed before bidding.

Make an informed offer

Your offer can include price, deposit, settlement date and conditions. Your solicitor should advise you before signing. The seller may accept, reject or negotiate the offer, and you should stay within a budget you can sustain.

From agreement to settlement

Complete every condition by its deadline, confirm insurance and finance, arrange the pre-settlement inspection and follow your solicitor’s instructions for settlement. Ask questions early if anything is unclear.

Read our property due diligence guide, view homes for sale, or use the enquiry form below to tell us the area, features and timeframe you are considering.

Useful independent information

Settled’s property research guide explains how to organise your investigations. FNDC’s LIM information helps you identify the council records to discuss with your advisers. Compare our Kaikohe guide and Ngawha guide, or return to all local property guides.

Check first-home assistance before relying on it

Under Inland Revenue’s KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal guidance, membership of at least three years is one eligibility requirement and at least $1,000 must remain in the account. Ask your provider to confirm eligibility, the available amount, documents and processing time for your own purchase. Not every balance shown in an account is necessarily available to withdraw.

Kāinga Ora’s First Home Loan can provide a low-deposit route for eligible borrowers, with a minimum 5% deposit. A participating lender still assesses the application, affordability and property. It is not automatic loan approval. Government first-home information also explains the available pathways. The former First Home Grant closed to new applications in May 2024; do not include it as money you expect to receive for a new application. These sources were checked on 23 October 2026.

Separate the two deposit questions

The deposit under the sale agreement and your total contribution required by the lender are different amounts and may be needed at different times. Have your lawyer and lender confirm the figures, due dates and the role of any KiwiSaver withdrawal before you sign. Keep legal and investigation costs, insurance, moving and the first period of ownership in your cash budget.

Check the home as well as the loan

For a Kaikohe town home or a property around Ngawha, confirm the actual water and wastewater arrangements, access, buildings and ongoing maintenance. A lower asking price does not establish a lower total cost. Compare the information available for the address with your intended use and the advice of your own professionals.

Use the contact form below with your preferred area, timeframe and questions, or call 09 401 0852. The office can explain available listing information and the sale process while your advisers assess the purchase.