The questions and original answers

My partner and I want to buy our first home. We both have salaried jobs and about a 10% deposit. Are we ready to start talking to banks, or should we keep saving?

We're buying our first home and have about a 10% deposit. Neither of us knows much about mortgages. Should we start with our bank or talk to a mortgage adviser?

We're a couple buying our first home. We both have salaried jobs, about a 10% deposit and little experience with mortgages. Which lenders would you suggest we talk to first, and why?

We're buying our first home with about a 10% deposit. We want repayments we can comfortably manage, but we'd also like to pay extra when we can. What should we look for in a mortgage?

My partner and I are getting ready to apply for our first home loan. We're both salaried and have about a 10% deposit. What paperwork should we get together before we apply?

We've got conditional pre-approval for our first home loan and have found a house we like. Does that mean we can make an unconditional offer, or are there more things to check?

We've just bought our first home and don't really understand the rules about extra mortgage payments. If we have a bit left over each month, what's a sensible way to use it?

We're in our first year of owning a home and the mortgage payments are getting tight. We haven't missed any yet. What should we do before it becomes a bigger problem?

I want to buy my first home on my own. I'm a contractor, so my income changes month to month, but I've got three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. How do I work out what I can afford?

I'm buying my first home and work on contracts rather than a salary. I've got three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. Which lenders would you suggest I approach?

I'm a contractor trying to buy my first home. Would a mortgage adviser help with my uneven income, and how would I find one who understands people in my position?

I'm looking at my first mortgage. My contract income is uneven: some months are busy and others are quiet. What sort of loan setup should I consider so the repayments don't catch me out?

I'm applying for my first home loan as a contractor. I have three years of earnings records. What will a lender want to see to understand my income properly?

I'm a contractor buying my first home. I've got conditional pre-approval and have found a property. What should I check with the lender before I commit to buying it?

I'm a contractor with a mortgage. I can put extra money aside in busy months, but I need a buffer for the quiet ones. How should I think about paying extra off the loan?

My mortgage comes off its fixed rate in two months. I want to know what the payments will be, but I don't want to rush the decision. Where should I start?

My fixed mortgage rate ends in two months. I want predictable repayments. Which lenders should I compare with my current bank before I decide what to do?

I'm about to refix my home loan. Is it worth splitting it across different fixed terms if I want fairly steady repayments?

My fixed mortgage rate is about to expire. How do I compare fixing for a shorter time with fixing for longer without just guessing where interest rates will go?

I'm about to accept a new fixed rate on my home loan. What should I check about repayments, extra payments and fees before I lock it in?

My fixed home loan ends in two months and I'm worried the new payments could stretch my budget. Should I speak to the bank now, and what should I ask for?

I've got a mortgage and another bank has offered a better rate and some cash to switch. Which lenders are worth comparing before I make up my mind?

Another lender has offered me a lower mortgage rate and a cash payment to move my home loan. How do I work out whether it's actually a better deal once everything is included?

I owe $500,000 on my mortgage, with 25 years left. My bank has offered 5.69% fixed for a year. Another lender offers 5.49% for a year and $3,000 cash, but moving would cost $1,400 and the cash has to be repaid if I leave within three years. Is switching worth it?

I'm thinking of moving my mortgage to another lender. What information will I need, and how much work is usually involved in the application?

A new lender has approved my mortgage switch. What needs to happen before the old loan is paid off and the new one starts?

I recently moved my mortgage to a new lender, but getting answers about the loan has been frustrating. What should I do to get someone to help?

I got a cash contribution when I switched my home loan. I might need to move again sooner than expected. How do I check what I'd have to pay back?

We need a bigger home for our family, but haven't sold our current place. Is it safer to sell first, or can we look at buying before we sell?

We're moving to a bigger home and may need to buy before our current place sells. Which lenders would you suggest we talk to about financing the move?

We're a family buying our next home. Our current place isn't sold yet. How does bridging finance compare with waiting until we've sold, and what could make it expensive?

We want to speak to a lender about buying our next home before selling our current one. What information should we bring about the house we own and our family budget?

We've found a bigger home we want to buy, but our current place hasn't sold. The bank has given us an idea of what we can borrow. What do we need confirmed before we make an unconditional offer?

We've bought our next home and now have a larger mortgage. How can we keep some room in the budget for family expenses while still paying the loan down?

We've bought our next home, but the old place is taking longer to sell than we expected. Paying for both is getting difficult. What should we ask our lender about now?

My partner and I run a small business and want to buy a home. We've owned a home before, but not while self-employed. How will a lender work out what we can afford?

My partner and I have run our own business for three years and want a home loan. We've owned a home before. Which lenders would you suggest for our situation?

We're self-employed and buying a home. Should we find a mortgage adviser who works with business owners, or go straight to a bank?

We're business owners buying a home. Our personal income isn't the same every month. How should we compare mortgage options if we want some flexibility but still need repayments we can plan around?

My partner and I are applying for a home loan after running our business for three years. What will the lender need from the business, and what will it need from us personally?

We're self-employed, buying a home and have conditional loan approval. What should we get confirmed before we commit to the property?

We're self-employed homeowners. In a good year we'd like to pay more off the mortgage, but we also need a buffer when income is quieter. What should we check before making extra payments?

We own our home and are thinking about buying our first rental property. What changes when you're borrowing for a rental rather than a home to live in?

We already own our home and want to buy our first rental property. Which lenders would you suggest we compare for the rental mortgage?

We're looking at our first rental property. Is there a reason to put its mortgage with a different lender from our own home loan, or is keeping them together easier?

We're applying for a mortgage on our first rental property. We already have a home loan. What information will the lender need about both properties and our finances?

We've found a rental property we want to buy. A lender has discussed what we might borrow, but nothing is final. What needs to be checked before we commit?

Our tenant has moved out of our first rental property, so the rent has stopped but the mortgage hasn't. What should we do if finding a new tenant takes longer than expected?

We own land and have chosen a builder for our home. How does a mortgage for a build work when the builder needs to be paid in stages?

We're building our own home on land we already own. Which lenders would you suggest for a construction loan, and what makes them worth considering?

We've chosen a builder for our home. Before we choose a construction loan, what should we compare about payments during the build, costs and delays?

We own land and are getting ready to apply for a home-build loan. What documents will the lender want from us and the builder?

Our builder is ready for us to sign the contract for our home, but the construction finance is only conditionally approved. What should we have confirmed first?

Our home build has started and the builder is asking for the next stage payment. How do we get that paid from the construction loan without holding things up?

We're partway through building our home and costs have gone up. What should we talk through with the lender before the extra costs become a problem?

Our household income has dropped and we're worried about keeping up with the mortgage. We haven't missed a payment, but don't have much spare money. What should we do first?

We're homeowners and our income has fallen. What sort of help can we ask our lender for, and what information will they need?

Our income has fallen and our mortgage is getting hard to manage. Are there lenders worth talking to about a different loan, or would asking our current bank for help make more sense?

Our income has dropped and we're trying to lower our mortgage payments. If we spread the loan over longer, how do we weigh the breathing room now against the cost later?

Our income has fallen and we're struggling with our home loan. If we don't feel we're getting useful help from the lender, who else can we speak to?

My partner and I are separating and have a joint mortgage. I'd like to keep the house if I can. What do I need to work out before speaking to the bank?

I'm separating from my partner and hoping to keep our home. Which lenders would you suggest I speak to about taking on the mortgage myself?

We're separating and own a mortgaged home. How do I compare keeping the house and taking on the loan with selling it, without overlooking the ongoing costs?

I'm hoping to take over our joint home loan after a separation. What information should I get together so a lender can assess whether I can manage it on my own?

After our separation, a lender has conditionally agreed to a mortgage in my name for our home. What needs to be coordinated before the joint mortgage and ownership arrangements change?

My partner and I are separating and disagree about who should pay the joint mortgage on our home while we sort things out. Who should I speak to first?

My partner and I want to buy our first home. We both have salaried jobs and about a 25% deposit. What should we work out before we start looking for a mortgage?

We're a couple buying our first home. We both have salaried jobs, about a 25% deposit and little experience with mortgages. Which lenders would you suggest we talk to first, and why?

We're buying our first home with about a 25% deposit, but don't know much about home loans. Is it worth using a mortgage adviser, or should we compare banks ourselves?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 25% deposit. We want steady repayments but also the option to pay extra. What should we compare when choosing a loan?

We're both salaried and getting ready to apply for our first home loan with about a 25% deposit. What should we prepare before applying?

We've found our first home and have conditional pre-approval. We have about a 25% deposit. What still needs to be confirmed before we commit to the house?

We've just bought our first home and have some savings left over. How do we decide whether to keep them handy or use them to pay down the mortgage?

We own our home and want to do about $60,000 of renovations. Is adding it to the mortgage something we should consider, and what would we need to work out first?

We have a mortgage and want to borrow about $60,000 for renovations. Which lenders would you suggest we compare with our current bank?

We're borrowing about $60,000 to renovate our home. If we add it to the mortgage, how can we compare paying it off quickly with spreading it over the remaining loan term?

We've got renovation quotes of about $60,000 for our home. What should we have ready when we ask a lender about increasing the mortgage?

The bank says we may be able to borrow more for renovations on our home. The builder wants a deposit. What needs to be confirmed before we pay it?

Our home renovation is finished and the extra borrowing is now part of the mortgage. How can we pay that part off sooner without making our regular budget too tight?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 10% deposit and little experience with mortgages. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a first home loan if we're a salaried couple with about a 10% deposit?

best bank for first home buyers with 10% deposit

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 10% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 10% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 10% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple who recently bought our first home with about a 10% deposit, and we're still learning how our mortgage works. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We bought our first home last year with about a 10% deposit and we're both on salaries. Our bank is hard to get clear answers from about our mortgage. Are some banks better at helping first-home owners, and would it be worth moving?

Which bank has the best mortgage customer service for first-home owners who bought with about a 10% deposit?

best bank mortgage support first home owners 10% deposit

I'm a contractor with variable income buying my first home on my own, with three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a home loan if you're a contractor buying your first home with a 20% deposit?

best bank for contractors first home loan

I'm a contractor with variable income buying my first home on my own, with three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. What matters most to me is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I'm a contractor with variable income buying my first home on my own, with three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. What matters most to me is being able to pay extra or change my repayments when I need to. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I'm a contractor with variable income buying my first home on my own, with three years of earnings records and about a 20% deposit. What matters most to me is getting good help and advice when I need it. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I'm a contractor with variable income who recently bought my first home on my own with about a 20% deposit. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in my situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

I bought my first home last year and I'm a contractor, so my income goes up and down. My bank doesn't seem to understand that when I ask about my repayments. Are there banks that are better with contract or self-employed borrowers, and is it worth switching?

Which bank is best for flexible mortgage repayments if you're a contractor who just bought your first home?

best bank for contractors with a first home mortgage

My fixed-rate home loan ends in two months and I'm deciding whether to stay with my bank or move. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank to refix a mortgage with when my fixed term ends in two months?

best bank to refix mortgage

My fixed-rate home loan ends in two months and I'm deciding whether to stay with my bank or move. What matters most to me is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

My fixed-rate home loan ends in two months and I'm deciding whether to stay with my bank or move. What matters most to me is being able to pay extra or change my repayments when I need to. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

My fixed-rate home loan ends in two months and I'm deciding whether to stay with my bank or move. What matters most to me is getting good help and advice when I need it. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I own my home and my fixed-rate home loan ends in two months. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in my situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

Every time my fixed rate ends, my bank just sends a letter with new rates and it's hard to get anyone to talk it through with me. My next one ends in two months. Which banks are better at actually reviewing your mortgage with you?

Which bank is best for helping you review your mortgage when your fixed term ends?

best bank for mortgage review when fixed term ends

I have a home loan and another lender has offered me a lower rate and a cash contribution to switch. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

Which bank is best to refinance a mortgage with if I'm being offered cash to switch?

best bank to refinance mortgage cash contribution

I have a home loan and another lender has offered me a lower rate and a cash contribution to switch. What matters most to me is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I have a home loan and another lender has offered me a lower rate and a cash contribution to switch. What matters most to me is being able to pay extra or change my repayments when I need to. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I have a home loan and another lender has offered me a lower rate and a cash contribution to switch. What matters most to me is getting good help and advice when I need it. Which lenders would you recommend for my home loan, and why?

I recently moved my home loan to a new lender for a lower rate and a cash contribution. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in my situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

I switched my mortgage for a better rate and some cash, but my new bank has been hard to deal with. Next time I'd rather be with a bank that's good to deal with. Which ones have a good reputation for mortgage service?

If I switch mortgages again, which bank has the best customer service, not just the best rate?

best bank mortgage service after refinancing

We're a family moving to a bigger home and may need to buy before our current home sells. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for bridging finance if we buy our next home before selling?

best bank bridging finance buy before you sell

We're a family moving to a bigger home and may need to buy before our current home sells. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a family moving to a bigger home and may need to buy before our current home sells. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a family moving to a bigger home and may need to buy before our current home sells. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a family who recently moved to a bigger home and sold our old one, so we now have a larger mortgage. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We've just moved our family into a bigger home and sold the old one, so the mortgage is a lot bigger now. Our budget will change as the kids get older. Which banks are good at helping families adjust their mortgage when things change?

Which bank is best for families who need some flexibility with a bigger mortgage?

best bank for families with a bigger mortgage

We're a self-employed couple who have run our business for three years and are buying a home, having owned one before. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a home loan if you're self-employed and have been in business for three years?

best bank home loan self employed

We're a self-employed couple who have run our business for three years and are buying a home, having owned one before. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a self-employed couple who have run our business for three years and are buying a home, having owned one before. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a self-employed couple who have run our business for three years and are buying a home, having owned one before. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a self-employed couple who recently bought our home, and our business income is uneven. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

My partner and I run a business and bought our home last year. Our income is uneven, and our bank treats us like salaried customers whenever we ask about our repayments. Are there banks that are better for self-employed homeowners?

Which bank is best for self-employed people who already have a mortgage and uneven income?

best bank for self employed mortgage customers

We own our home and are buying our first rental property. Which lenders would you recommend for the rental property loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a first investment property loan when you already own your home?

best bank for first rental property mortgage

We own our home and are buying our first rental property. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for the rental property loan, and why?

We own our home and are buying our first rental property. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for the rental property loan, and why?

We own our home and are buying our first rental property. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for the rental property loan, and why?

We own our home and recently bought our first rental property, so we now have two property loans. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We bought our first rental last year and now have two mortgages with the same bank. It's been hard to get advice on how to set the loans up. Are some banks better at supporting landlords with more than one property?

Which bank is best for property investors with a home loan and a rental mortgage?

best bank for landlords with two mortgages

We own land and have chosen a builder to build our home in stages. Which lenders would you recommend for the construction loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a construction loan when you already own the land?

best bank for construction loan on own land

We own land and have chosen a builder to build our home in stages. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for the construction loan, and why?

We own land and have chosen a builder to build our home in stages. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for the construction loan, and why?

We own land and have chosen a builder to build our home in stages. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for the construction loan, and why?

We recently finished building our home on our own land and now have a standard mortgage. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We've just finished building our home and the construction loan has turned into a normal mortgage. Our bank was slow during the build. Are there banks that are better to deal with once the build is finished, and is it worth moving?

Which bank is best to have your mortgage with after you finish building a new home?

best bank mortgage after new build completion

Our household income has dropped, we have little buffer and we haven't missed a mortgage payment yet. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

Which bank is best to move a mortgage to if your income has dropped and repayments are getting hard?

refinance mortgage after income drop which bank

Our household income has dropped, we have little buffer and we haven't missed a mortgage payment yet. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

Our income has dropped and we're worried about the mortgage, though we haven't missed a payment. Before we call our bank, I'd like to know which banks are known for treating customers well when repayments get hard.

Which bank is best for helping customers whose income has dropped and who are struggling with mortgage repayments?

best bank mortgage help after income drop

I'm separating from my partner, we have a joint mortgage and I want to keep the home by taking on the loan myself. Which lenders would you recommend for the mortgage in my name, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for taking over a joint mortgage on your own after a separation?

best bank to refinance joint mortgage into one name after separation

After separating, I kept our home and the mortgage is now in my name alone, on one income. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in my situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

I kept the house after my separation and the mortgage is now just in my name. Managing it on one income is new for me, and I don't find my bank very helpful. Are some banks better at supporting people in this position?

Which bank is best for someone paying a mortgage on their own after a separation?

best bank for single income mortgage after separation

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 25% deposit and little experience with mortgages. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a first home loan if we're a salaried couple with about a 25% deposit?

best bank for first home buyers with 25% deposit

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 25% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 25% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple buying our first home with about a 25% deposit and little experience with mortgages. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for our home loan, and why?

We're a salaried couple who recently bought our first home with about a 25% deposit, and we're still learning how our mortgage works. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We bought our first home last year with about a 25% deposit and we're both on salaries. Our bank is hard to get clear answers from about our mortgage. Are some banks better at helping first-home owners, and would it be worth moving?

Which bank has the best mortgage customer service for first-home owners who bought with about a 25% deposit?

best bank mortgage support first home owners 25% deposit

We have a mortgage on our home and want to borrow about $60,000 for renovations. Which lenders would you recommend for the extra borrowing, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

What's the best bank for a mortgage top-up to pay for renovations?

best bank mortgage top up renovation

We have a mortgage on our home and want to borrow about $60,000 for renovations. What matters most to us is keeping the total cost as low as possible. Which lenders would you recommend for the extra borrowing, and why?

We have a mortgage on our home and want to borrow about $60,000 for renovations. What matters most to us is being able to pay extra or change our repayments when we need to. Which lenders would you recommend for the extra borrowing, and why?

We have a mortgage on our home and want to borrow about $60,000 for renovations. What matters most to us is getting good help and advice when we need it. Which lenders would you recommend for the extra borrowing, and why?

We recently added about $60,000 to our mortgage to pay for renovations on our home. Which lenders are best at looking after mortgage customers in our situation, and why?

Also asked from Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington

We added about $60,000 to our mortgage for renovations and want to pay that part off faster. Our bank hasn't been much help working out how. Are there banks that are better at helping you pay down extra borrowing?

Which bank is best for paying off a mortgage top-up early?

best bank pay off mortgage top up early