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Evidence · Home lending

The questions and original answers

Explore every question and captured response in the home-lending study, including answers asked nationally and from four cities.

questions
193
captured answers
1,094
AI platforms
4
collected
11 October 2026

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question was written as a voter would ask it and went to all four assistants. Some were also asked from a town. Open a question to read every answer to it in full.

Showing 20 of 193 questions

Show all 193

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Question catalogue

    questions.csv

    One row per question.

    Question ID, borrower, exact question, group and collected answers

    193rows

    Download question catalogue (CSV)

  • Answers

    answers.csv

    One row per answer, with its full text.

    Answer ID, question ID, borrower, assistant, city, words, coded recommendations, showed a link and full text

    1,094rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    sources.csv

    One row for each website recorded as a source of an answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, assistant, city, website and publisher type

    4,574rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against official sources

    checks.csv

    One row per statement checked.

    Check, answer ID, assistant, what the answer said, verdict, what the source says, source and date

    4rows

    Download checks against official sources (CSV)

  • Recommendation coding

    recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per coded national loan-choice or support answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, borrower, assistant, question group, recommended lenders and supporting passages

    360rows

    Download recommendation coding (CSV)

  • Platform comparisons

    platform-recommendation-counts.csv

    One row per platform, lender and question group.

    Matched panel, recommended answers, denominator and supporting answer IDs

    105rows

    Download platform comparisons (CSV)

  • City comparisons

    city-recommendation-counts.csv

    One row per city, lender and question group.

    Matched panel, recommended answers, denominator and supporting answer IDs

    112rows

    Download city comparisons (CSV)

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · National

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?

Yes — a mortgage adviser can be particularly useful if you’re a contractor with uneven income. In New Zealand, the challenge is often not whether you earn enough, but how your income is presented and which lender’s criteria fit your situation. nzmortgageadvice.co.nz

A good adviser can help you:

  • Work out what income a lender may actually count. Contractors may have income that varies by project, season, or client, and lenders can assess self-employed income differently. nzmortgageadvice.co.nz
  • Choose lenders that are more comfortable with contractor/self-employed applicants. Some lenders may want longer trading histories or more financial records, while others may be more flexible depending on your circumstances. nzmortgageadvice.co.nz
  • Package your application clearly. This might include explaining gaps, showing contracts or future work, and providing the right business and tax documents. Luminate
  • Plan before you apply. Sometimes improving the timing of your application, reducing debts, or organising your accounts can make a meaningful difference. theadvisory.co.nz

How to find an adviser who understands contractors

When you contact advisers, ask specific questions rather than just “can you get me a mortgage?” For example:

  • “How many contractor or self-employed clients do you help each year?”
  • “Which lenders do you commonly use for people without a standard PAYE salary?”
  • “Have you helped first-home buyers with variable income?”
  • “What documents would you want to see before deciding my options?”
  • “How would you present my income to a lender?”

Look for someone who is comfortable with things like:

  • multiple income sources
  • fixed-term contracts
  • sole trader or company income
  • GST returns and financial statements
  • fluctuating year-to-year earnings
  • working with your accountant where needed nzmortgageadvice.co.nz

Prepare before your first meeting

It helps to have:

  • your last couple of years of income information (for example, financial statements or tax records if applicable)
  • recent bank statements
  • details of current contracts and expected future work
  • a list of debts and regular expenses
  • your deposit position

Many lenders commonly ask self-employed applicants for financial records and evidence of income history, though exact requirements vary. nzmortgageadvice.co.nz

You can also compare advisers through industry directories and check that they are authorised to provide financial advice in New Zealand. A useful starting point is the Financial Markets Authority’s adviser information resources. Luminate

Given you’re a first-home buyer, I’d look for an adviser who regularly handles “complex” first-home applications rather than someone who mainly deals with straightforward salaried borrowers. Luminate

If you tell me:

  1. how long you’ve been contracting,
  2. whether you’re a sole trader, company contractor, or paid through PAYE, and
  3. roughly how your income varies (e.g., seasonal, project-based, growing),

I can suggest what lenders/adviser experience would likely matter most for your situation.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

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?

Navigating the property market as a first-time home buyer with an uneven contractor income can feel daunting, but a good mortgage adviser can be one of your greatest assets.

How a Mortgage Adviser Helps with Uneven Income

Mainstream retail banks have strict, automated credit scoring models that often struggle with variable contractor income, typically demanding two full years of clean financials. A skilled mortgage adviser helps bridge this gap in several ways:

  • Translating Your Financial Narrative: Instead of just handing a bank raw numbers, an adviser helps frame your financial story. They explain industry trends, continuity of contracts, and the distinction between gross revenue and true net cash flow.
  • Identifying Legitimate "Add-Backs": Advisers work with your accountant to highlight allowable adjustments (such as depreciation, one-off vehicle or equipment expenses, or retained company profits) that shouldn’t count against your core borrowing power.
  • Matching You with the Right Lender: Not all banks view contractors equally. Some major lenders are rigid, while others have specialized lending policies for self-employed applicants or access to second-tier/near-prime lenders if your contracting history is under two years.
  • Navigating Scheme Criteria: If you are utilizing KiwiSaver withdrawals or government assistance like a First Home Loan (which allows a 5% deposit for eligible buyers), an adviser ensures your variable income meets those specific thresholds.

How to Find an Adviser Who Understands Contractors

To find someone who genuinely understands self-employed and contractor structures, look for these specific traits:

  1. Ask About Their Self-Employed Panel and Experience: When interviewing advisers, ask: “What percentage of your recent first-home clients are contractors or self-employed, and which lenders on your panel are most flexible with variable income?”
  2. Look for Industry Specialization: Many advisers market themselves broadly, but some explicitly focus on self-employed borrowers, business owners, and complex income structures. Look at their website bios or case studies for mentions of contractor financing.
  3. Check Credentials and Fiduciary Duties: Ensure they are a Financial Adviser (FA) registered on the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR). Under New Zealand law, they are bound by a legal duty to prioritize your best interests.
  4. Leverage Your Accountant's Network: Your accountant deals with bank policies and mortgage brokers regularly. Ask them: "Which mortgage advisers do you frequently collaborate with who successfully secure loans for your contractor clients?" This ensures your accountant and adviser will speak the same language when packaging your financials.

Actionable Next Steps

  • Organize your paperwork: Gather your last two years of IR3 personal tax returns, IRD income summaries, business financial statements (if operating through a company or sole trader structure), and 6 months of clean business/personal bank statements.
  • Consult your accountant: Ask them to prepare a clear, up-to-date profit-and-loss overview so you know precisely what "net income" a bank will see.
  • Interview 2 advisers: Speak with a couple of different mortgage advisers to gauge their familiarity with contractor income before submitting any formal applications to a bank.

Are you operating as a sole trader, or do you run your contracting business through a company structure?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

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?

Yes, a mortgage adviser can significantly help if you are a contractor with an uneven income. While mainstream banks in New Zealand prefer a neat, predictable PAYE salary, mortgage advisers regularly work with contractors, freelancers, and the self-employed to package their financial story in a way lenders understand.

How a Mortgage Adviser Helps with Uneven Income

  • Translating your financials: Banks typically look at a 2-year history of self-employed or contracting income, often averaging the net profit shown on your IR3 tax returns. An adviser knows how to present your accountant-prepared accounts, GST returns, and active contracts to demonstrate stability even if month-to-month cash flow fluctuates.

  • Accessing the right lenders: Not all banks assess contractor income the same way. An adviser has an overview of which major banks are more lenient or progressive with contractors (for instance, looking at continuity of contract work rather than just historical ups and downs). [www.capitalfinance.nz]

  • Navigating non-bank options: If your contracting business is newer than two years, or your income dips in certain seasons, an adviser can tap into non-bank or specialist lenders that offer alternative documentation ("alt-doc") loans or assess income through regular invoices and signed forward contracts. [mortgagelink.co.nz]

  • Preparation and structuring: They can guide you on what to tidy up before applying—such as avoiding aggressive tax write-offs that lower your apparent personal income, which banks use to calculate your borrowing power. [Opes Partners]

How to Find an Adviser Who Understands Contractors

  • Check for relevant credentials: Look for advisers registered with Financial Advice New Zealand or independent broker networks (like Mortgage Link, Global Finance, Loan Market, or Squirrel) who explicitly advertise expertise in self-employed and small-business lending.

  • Ask direct screening questions: When interviewing a prospective adviser, ask them:

  • "What percentage of your clients are contractors or self-employed?"

  • "Which lenders do you find are currently the most flexible for first-home buyer contractors with variable income?"

  • "Do you help coordinate with my accountant to pull the right figures together?"

  • Read client reviews: Look at online reviews or community forums (like Reddit's Personal Finance NZ) to see if other freelancers or contractors vouch for a specific adviser's patience and capability with non-traditional incomes.

  • Use professional referrals: Ask your accountant or other local contractors who they used to secure their home loans. Accountants work closely with mortgage brokers and usually know who is sharpest at getting self-employed deals across the line.

Would you like to share:

  • How long you have been contracting?
  • Whether you have 2 years of IR3 tax returns filed in New Zealand?

I can give you a better idea of what documentation lenders will expect from you.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · National

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?

AI Overview

Yes, a mortgage adviser (also known as a mortgage broker) will be incredibly helpful if you are a contractor with uneven income.

Mainstream New Zealand banks prefer steady, predictable PAYE salaries. When you are a contractor, self-employed, or working on variable income streams, banks apply much stricter testing criteria—often scaling down or "shaving" your income by 20% to 30% to account for risk. A mortgage adviser acts as your advocate, navigating these strict rules to package your applications in the best light.

How a Mortgage Adviser Helps Contractors

  • Access to Non-Bank Lenders: If main retail banks (like ANZ, ASB, Westpac, or BNZ) reject your application due to uneven income, advisers have direct access to non-bank and specialist lenders who look at the "whole picture" rather than strict check-boxes.

  • Income Packaging: Advisers know exactly how different banks calculate contractor income. For example, some banks require two full years of tax returns, while others might accept a current long-term contract with 6 months of history.

  • Negotiating Power: They know which credit managers are flexible and can directly negotiate terms or exceptions on your behalf.

How to Find the Right Adviser for Your Situation

Not all mortgage advisers have experience with self-employed or contractor applications. To find one who does, follow these steps:

1. Target "Self-Employed" or "Specialist" Advisers

When researching, look for mid-to-large sized brokerages in New Zealand (such as Squirrel, Tella, Loan Market, or Mortgage Express) and check individual adviser profiles. Look explicitly for mentions of "self-employed lending," "complex income structures," or "non-bank lending solutions."

2. Interview Potential Advisers

Most mortgage advisers do not charge you a fee because they receive a commission from the lender. You can chat with a few before choosing one. Ask them these targeted questions:

  • “How many contractor or self-employed clients have you successfully settled a mortgage for in the last year?”

  • “Which banks on your panel are currently the most friendly toward variable contractor income?”

  • “Do you work with non-bank lenders if the main retail banks say no?” Your guide to getting a mortgage

3. Check for Professional Registration

Ensure the adviser is a Registered Financial Adviser and look at their publicly available disclosure statement. This document explicitly lists their lender panel and how they are paid. A broader panel means they have more options to shop your uneven income around.

Checklist: What to Prepare Before Meeting Your Adviser

To make the process seamless, begin gathering this documentation:

  • Tax Documents: Your last two years of IR3 summaries and financial accounts (if trading as a sole trader or company).

  • Current Contracts: Copies of your active contracts showing your day rate, hourly rate, and the remaining term.

  • Bank Statements: At least 3 to 6 months of clean business and personal bank statements showing regular cash flow and minimal unarranged overdrafts.

To give you more specific guidance, let me know:

  • How long have you been contracting?

  • Do you operate as a sole trader or a registered company?

  • Roughly what deposit percentage (e.g., 10%, 20%) do you have saved or in KiwiSaver?

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026