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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

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?

For you as a salaried couple buying your first home in New Zealand with around a 10% deposit, I'd prioritise repayment flexibility over simply getting the lowest advertised interest rate.

The key is choosing a lender that lets you put extra money towards your mortgage when you can, reduce your repayments when circumstances change, and avoid unnecessary break fees or refinancing costs.

One important distinction: being allowed to make extra repayments is not the same as being allowed to lower your regular repayments whenever you want. Most fixed-rate loans restrict both the amount of extra money you can pay and the changes you can make to your scheduled repayments.

Which lenders I'd shortlist

I'd compare these five lenders first, focusing on their mortgage structures and rules rather than just their headline rates.

1. Westpac New Zealand

Best fit for repayment changes

Westpac is particularly worth investigating because eligible customers can increase or decrease their repayments online, within their loan agreement. Its Choices Fixed loan allows repayment increases of up to 20% above the minimum, and you can reduce them again when needed. Choices Fixed home loanHow do I change my loan repayments online? - Help

Why it suits you: This is the clearest match if you want to be able to adjust your regular payments rather than just make occasional lump sums.

Watch out: The 20% cap applies to increases on the fixed loan, and your eligibility and exact loan terms matter. A 10% deposit may also mean a low-equity margin or different pricing.

2. Kiwibank

Best all-round flexibility to explore

Kiwibank offers fixed, variable, offset and revolving-credit options. On a fixed loan, you can make extra repayments up to 5% of the original loan amount at the start of the fixed term each year. Its variable loan allows extra repayments at any time, and it describes revolving credit as its most flexible option. Fixed rate home loan | Home loansMaking changes to your loan | Home loans

Why it suits you: You can potentially combine predictable repayments on a fixed portion with a flexible portion for extra payments or cash reserves.

Watch out: Variable and revolving rates can be higher, and a revolving facility requires discipline so you don't end up reusing the money you've paid in.

3. BNZ

BNZ is worth comparing for its mix of fixed, floating, offset and revolving-credit loans. Its standard fixed loan allows extra repayments of up to 5% of the loan balance each year without an early repayment charge; floating loans allow extra or lump-sum payments without that charge. Its TotalMoney offset loan can also link eligible transaction accounts to reduce the balance on which interest is calculated. Home loan typesTotalMoney home loans - Offset mortgages

Why it suits you: A good option if you want flexibility with savings and spare cash, while keeping some of your mortgage on a predictable fixed rate.

Watch out: Offset arrangements reduce interest rather than automatically reducing your required scheduled repayment.

4. ASB

ASB lets eligible fixed-loan customers increase repayments by up to $500 per fortnight or $1,000 per month without an early repayment adjustment, provided the higher repayment is maintained for the rest of the fixed term. Its floating loan permits extra repayments without early repayment adjustments. Fixed rate home loan & mortgage - View latest ratesFloating mortgage & home loans - View rates online

Why it suits you: The fixed-loan increase allowance may be useful if you expect regular pay rises or want to gradually accelerate your repayments.

Watch out: Its fixed-loan increase option isn't designed for repeatedly raising and lowering payments during the term.

5. ANZ New Zealand

ANZ offers fixed, floating and flexible home loans. On a fixed loan, you can generally increase regular repayments by up to $250 a week on the first increase in a fixed-rate year without an early repayment recovery, and make an additional lump-sum repayment of up to 5% of the current loan amount each year. Its Flexible Home Loan has no set regular repayments while you remain within the credit limit. Fixed mortgagesChanging your mortgage repaymentsFlexible Mortgage

Why it suits you: The flexible loan is worth considering if you want to put your salary into the loan and redraw money when needed.

Watch out: Flexible lending usually has a higher interest rate and an account fee. I'd be cautious about putting too much of your first mortgage into this structure.

How I'd structure your mortgage

For your priorities, I would ask all five lenders to quote the same loan using a split mortgage rather than putting the entire loan on one fixed rate.

An example structure to discuss

80–90% on a fixed rate

Provides repayment certainty and helps you budget for your essential bills.

10–20% on a floating or offset rate

Lets you make additional repayments more freely, and an offset loan may let your savings reduce interest while remaining accessible.

Illustrative proportions only, not a personalised borrowing recommendation. A lender may require a different structure, and the flexible portion may have a higher interest rate.

For example, when you receive a bonus or have a month with lower expenses, you could put extra money into the flexible portion without worrying about the usual fixed-loan early repayment restrictions. Keep an emergency fund accessible rather than putting every spare dollar into the mortgage.

If you choose a split loan, make sure the flexible portion is large enough to be useful but not so large that its higher interest rate unnecessarily increases your costs.

What matters particularly with a 10% deposit

With around 10% deposit, you'll generally be borrowing about 90% of the property's purchase price. That makes it important to compare more than the advertised interest rate.

Ask each lender about:

  • Low-equity pricing: Is there a low-equity margin or premium, and when could it be removed as your equity grows?
  • First-home lending criteria: Will they approve your deposit size and employment/income situation?
  • Cashback and fees: Compare any cash contribution, account fees and the conditions attached to offers.
  • Repayment reductions: Can you reduce your regular payment during a fixed term, or would you need to apply for a temporary change?
  • Financial hardship options: What happens if one of you loses income or needs parental leave?

A 10% deposit doesn't automatically rule out the lenders above, but approval and pricing will depend on their criteria and your circumstances.

My final recommendation

I'd start by getting quotes from these three:

  1. Westpac — first choice to investigate because its fixed-loan repayment settings explicitly allow eligible borrowers to increase and subsequently reduce payments within the applicable limits.
  2. Kiwibank — a strong alternative if you want to compare fixed and flexible loan structures, including offset and revolving credit.
  3. BNZ — particularly worth comparing if you have savings that could make an offset mortgage useful.

Then compare ASB and ANZ against the same borrowing amount and loan structure. The best choice could change once you see your actual low-equity pricing and the conditions of your approval.

Because you're new to mortgages, I'd also consider speaking with a reputable New Zealand mortgage adviser who can explain the trade-offs and compare lenders for you.

One question that would help narrow this down

When you say you want to change your repayments, which is more important to you?

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

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?

Navigating your first home purchase with a ~10% deposit while wanting the flexibility to change or accelerate your repayments requires careful lender selection. In New Zealand, major lenders approach low-deposit lending and repayment flexibility differently.

Key Considerations for a 10% Deposit + Flexible Repayments

  1. Low Equity Margins (LEM) or Special Rates: With a 10% deposit (a 90% Loan-to-Value Ratio or LVR), most main banks will apply a Low Equity Margin—a surcharge added to your interest rate (or a higher standard low-deposit rate) until your equity reaches 20%.
  2. Fixed vs. Floating Flexibility: New Zealand banks generally allow unlimited extra repayments on floating (variable) rates. However, because interest rates fluctuate, most borrowers prefer a fixed term for stability. To balance security and flexibility, most major NZ lenders permit you to make extra regular payments or lump sums up to a 5% limit per year on fixed terms without incurring early repayment recovery fees.
  3. Loan Structuring (Splitting): The best way to achieve flexibility with a 10% deposit is to split your loan (e.g., putting a portion on a floating rate or a revolving credit facility for ultimate flexibility, and the rest on a competitive fixed term).

Lender Landscape & Recommendations for Flexibility

1. Kiwibank

  • Why they fit: Kiwibank offers robust low-deposit options (including support for standard 10% deposit scenarios and government-backed First Home Loans if you qualify).
  • Repayment Flexibility: They allow you to make lump-sum payments or increase regular payments on fixed terms up to the standard 5% annual limit without penalty. They also provide user-friendly offset and revolving credit options once your structure allows it, which are ideal for flexible pay-down.

2. ANZ

  • Why they fit: ANZ is one of the major retail banks with broad appetite for 10% deposit lending.
  • Repayment Flexibility: ANZ permits fixed-rate borrowers to increase regular payments (up to a set threshold like $250/week on the first increase that year) and allows lump-sum payments up to 5% of the loan balance annually. They also offer clear guidance on keeping repayments elevated if interest rates drop.

3. The Co-operative Bank or TSB (Customer-Owned Banks)

  • Why they fit: As cooperative/locally-focused entities, they often provide competitive service models for first-home buyers navigating low-equity margins.
  • Repayment Flexibility: The Co-operative Bank and TSB feature clear policies allowing extra fixed-rate repayments (up to 5% annually for Co-op) and complete freedom on floating portions. Their smaller scale sometimes translates to more tailored lending discretion for first-home buyers.

Recommended Action Plan

  1. Consult a Mortgage Broker: Because you have a 10% deposit and specific flexibility goals, use a registered mortgage broker in New Zealand (services are typically free to you as the lender pays the commission). They can simultaneously test your borrowing capacity across ANZ, Kiwibank, ASB, and others to see who offers the lowest LEM surcharge for a 90% LVR.
  2. Explore Loan Splitting: Ask your lender or broker about splitting your mortgage. For example, fix 80% of your loan for 1 or 2 years for rate security, and leave 20% on a floating or revolving credit structure so you can pump extra cash directly into it whenever you want.
  3. Confirm the 5% Rule Details: Whichever lender you lean toward, explicitly verify their exact policy on the annual 5% fixed-term prepayment cap and whether regular payment increases count toward that limit.

Would you like to explore how a split-loan structure works in practice to maximize both stability and repayment flexibility?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

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?

Navigating your first home purchase with a 10% deposit while prioritizing flexible repayment options means understanding how New Zealand lenders balance low-equity rules against mortgage structuring.

When you have a 10% deposit, major registered banks (such as ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) treat low-equity lending with extra criteria, often charging a low-equity margin (a higher interest rate) or requiring specific approvals. More importantly for your goals, flexibility depends heavily on how you split your loan between fixed and floating rates.

Key Lenders and Flexibility Options

  • Kiwibank: Often favored by first-home buyers for accommodating 10% deposit scenarios—particularly for new builds or standard properties under regional caps. Kiwibank allows you to split your mortgage into multiple portions, meaning you can lock a portion on a competitive fixed rate for certainty while keeping a smaller tranche floating or on a revolving credit facility to pump extra cash into without penalty.

  • ASB: Provides robust digital tools via its app to track loan portions, alongside its "First Home Loan" options if you qualify for specific government criteria (which lower the deposit floor further). ASB permits extra payments on fixed terms up to certain annual limits without incurring early repayment charges, while floating portions allow unlimited adjustments.

  • BNZ / ANZ / Westpac: The major retail mainstays handle low-equity 10% arrangements similarly. They generally permit standard extra repayments on fixed loans (typically capped at an extra 5% of the principal or a set dollar amount per year without break fees). For total freedom to change or pay down large chunks instantly, you must keep that portion of the loan on a floating rate or revolving credit, though floating rates carry higher baseline interest costs than fixed options.

Why Flexibility and a 10% Deposit Interact This Way

  1. The Fixed vs. Floating Trade-Off:
    If you want absolute freedom to alter repayments or dump lump sums whenever you want, your loan needs to be floating or in a revolving credit/offset structure. However, floating interest rates are almost always higher than fixed rates.
  2. The Split-Loan Strategy:
    Most seasoned mortgage holders with a 10% deposit use a split structure. You fix 80% to 90% of your mortgage to protect your household budget from sudden rate spikes, and leave a smaller portion (e.g., $10,000–$20,000) floating or revolving where you can channel your extra savings or salary fluctuations directly against the principal.
  3. Low-Equity Margins (LEM):
    Because your deposit is under 20%, lenders will add a margin to your interest rate or a capitalized fee to the loan balance. Ask each bank how their low-equity pricing interacts with floating versus fixed portions.

To help narrow down which specific lender or structure fits best, share:

  • Are you looking at an established existing home or a brand-new build / turnkey property?
  • Do you qualify for a government-backed option like a Kāinga Ora First Home Loan (which accepts a 5% deposit for eligible buyers)?

I can give you a clearer breakdown of how to split your loan or compare current lender policies.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · National

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?

AI Overview

To maximize your flexibility with a 10% deposit, a combination of a large fixed-rate portion alongside a smaller floating or offset portion with a major New Zealand bank is your best strategy. Because a 10% deposit is considered "low equity" (under 20%), you will face tighter lending rules and Low Equity Premiums (LEP) or margins. However, you can still secure the repayment flexibility you need by selecting the right loan structure.

Top Lender Recommendations for Flexibility

For first-home buyers wanting maximum control over changing their repayments, the following major New Zealand lenders offer the best tools:

1. Westpac NZ — Best for Choices in Payment Flexibility

Westpac is highly accommodating for first-home buyers who want to actively adjust their loan amounts.

  • Extra Repayment Freedom: On their standard fixed-rate terms, they generally allow you to increase your regular repayments by up to 20% of the original payment amount each year without trigger penalties.

  • Lump Sums: You can make extra lump-sum payments onto your floating or offset portions at any time with zero penalties.

2. BNZ — Best for Offset Multi-Account Customization

BNZ is an excellent choice if you want your everyday cash to actively reduce your mortgage interest while maintaining instant access to your money.

  • TotalMoney Offset: BNZ allows you to link up to 50 different family or personal everyday savings and checking accounts to offset the balance of your floating loan.

  • Variable Control: Because the offset portion is floating, you can change your repayments, pay off lump sums, or redraw funds whenever you need to without penalty.

3. ANZ NZ — Best for Digital Adjustments

As NZ’s largest residential lender, ANZ provides a highly structured environment that works well for salaried couples.

  • Self-Service Changes: Their internet banking allows you to increase your regular repayments on fixed loans up to a set threshold or pay extra into variable steps instantly.

  • Low-Equity Expertise: They have large allocations for low-deposit lending, meaning they are highly experienced at onboarding salaried couples with a 10% deposit.

The Recommended Strategy: A Split Mortgage Structure

When you have a 10% deposit, fixing the entire mortgage provides stability but locks down your ability to make large changes. To get the best of both worlds, ask your bank or mortgage broker to set up a Split Loan :

Loan Portion Structure Type Purpose & Flexibility Features
80% to 90% of total debt Fixed Rate Gives you certainty over your budget. You cannot easily make massive changes here, but you can usually bump up the regular repayments by 10%–20% per year depending on the bank.
10% to 20% of total debt Floating / Offset This matches your 10% deposit footprint. You can pay extra cash, clear large chunks, or completely alter your payment schedule here with zero break fees.

Crucial Low-Deposit Realities in NZ

Because you are buying with less than a 20% deposit, keep these two factors in mind:

  • Low Equity Margin (LEM): Banks will likely add a premium (ranging from 0.25% to 1.5%) to your interest rate or charge a one-off upfront fee because of the 10% deposit.

  • Kāinga Ora First Home Loan: Look into whether you qualify for a government-backed First Home Loan, which allows for deposits as low as 5% and can bypass expensive bank low-equity margins if you meet the regional income caps.

If you'd like to narrow down your choices, let me know:

  • Your combined annual salary before tax

  • The maximum property price you are targeting

  • Whether you plan to use KiwiSaver to make up that 10% deposit How to use KiwiSaver for a first home purchase in New Zealand

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026