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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

best bank for contractors first home loan

For a contractor in New Zealand buying your first home, the best bank is usually the one that assesses your self-employed income most fairly, rather than simply offering the lowest advertised mortgage rate.

If you're a tradie, freelancer, subcontractor, or independent contractor, getting approved can be more complicated than it is for a salaried employee. Banks may look at your tax returns, financial statements, time in business, and how consistently you earn.

My recommendation is to compare several lenders before applying, particularly if you have a good deposit but your taxable income looks low because of business expenses.

Which NZ banks should you try first?

Here’s the shortlist I’d start with for a contractor buying their first home.

  1. ASB — a good starting point

ASB accepts accountant-prepared financial statements as evidence of income for self-employed applicants. It is also a participating First Home Loan lender. Thinking about buying your first home| ASB Home LoanFirst Home Loan :: Kāinga Ora

Best to investigate if your accounts are up to date and your contracting income is consistent.

ASB home loans

  1. Westpac — worth comparing

Westpac participates in the government-backed First Home Loan scheme, which can allow eligible buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit. First Home Loan :: Kāinga Ora

Best to investigate if you need a low-deposit option.

Westpac home loans

  1. BNZ — worth a direct application comparison

BNZ specifies that self-employed applicants can provide their business's last two annual financial statements. Preparing for a home loan appointmentGetting conditional approval

Best to investigate if you have two completed years of accounts.

BNZ home loans

  1. Kiwibank — especially for low-deposit buyers

Kiwibank is another participating First Home Loan lender. Ask how it would assess your particular contracting structure and income history. First Home Loan :: Kāinga Ora

Kiwibank home loans

These are lenders worth approaching, not a verified ranking of approval rates for contractors. Each lender applies its own lending criteria.

Could you qualify with only a 5% deposit?

Potentially, through the government-backed First Home Loan.

According to Kāinga Ora's published criteria, eligibility includes:

  • A deposit of at least 5%.
  • Before-tax income over the previous 12 months of no more than $95,000 for an individual without dependants, or $150,000 for an individual with dependants or for joint buyers combined.
  • Meeting residency, first-home and participating-lender requirements.

A 1.2% lender's mortgage insurance premium also applies. The bank must still be satisfied you can afford the repayments. First Home Loan :: Kāinga Ora

Read the official First Home Loan eligibility criteria.

The key question: how do you work as a contractor?

Your answer makes a big difference to which lender I would approach first.

With those details, I can narrow the shortlist and explain whether a mainstream bank, a specialist lender or a mortgage adviser is likely to be your best first move.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

best bank for contractors first home loan

In New Zealand, there is no single "best" major bank for contractors seeking a first home loan. Because major lenders (such as ANZ, Westpac, ASB, and BNZ) all operate under similar Reserve Bank lending regulations and credit policies, the best bank for you depends entirely on how long you have been contracting and the structure of your accounts.

When assessing a contractor, major banks traditionally prefer to see two full years of accountant-prepared financial statements (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and IR3/IR7 tax returns). However, some mainstream banks are notably more accommodating if you are a contractor with less than two years of history or fluctuating income.

How New Zealand's Major Banks View Contractors

  • ANZ: Generally considered robust for established contractors using cloud accounting software like Xero. ANZ's mobile mortgage managers and lending specialists are familiar with looking at "add-backs" (such as depreciation, personal vehicle use, and one-off expenses added back into your net profit to show your true disposable income).
  • Westpac: Often flexible with self-employed applicants who can show steady pipeline contracts or ongoing industry experience, provided GST returns and business bank statements align cleanly. They also feature competitive options if you are looking at a new build package.
  • ASB & BNZ: Highly structured. They rely heavily on clean, reconciled accounts. If your accounts minimize taxable income aggressively (which is common for tax-efficiency when contracting), these banks may calculate your borrowing power strictly on your bottom-line net profit, which can lower your borrowing capacity.

Key Requirements Banks Look For

To maximize your chances with any main bank as a contractor, ensure you have:

  1. Cloud-Based Accounting: Using Xero or MYOB makes it significantly easier for a bank's credit team to pull real-time, trusted reports.
  2. Consistent Tax Compliance: Up-to-date IR3 filings and regular GST returns. Banks view tax arrears as an immediate red flag.
  3. Contract Continuity: Copies of current client contracts, letters of engagement, or a history of rolling extensions. This proves ongoing income stability despite being self-employed.

What to Do If You Have Less Than 2 Years of Contracting History

If you have been contracting for less than 24 months, qualifying with a major retail bank can be difficult unless you transitioned directly from a PAYE role within the same industry.

If main banks decline or offer too little borrowing power, options include:

  • Non-Bank Lenders: Lenders like Pepper Money, Liberty, or Avanti Finance specialize in "near-prime" or alt-doc lending for contractors with shorter histories (sometimes accepting 1 year of financials or alternative proof of income). They typically charge higher interest rates, but many first-home buyers use them as a stepping stone to refinance with a major bank after 1–2 years.
  • Mortgage Brokers: Working with a registered mortgage broker in New Zealand is usually free for home buyers (the bank pays the commission). A good broker has relationships across all major banks and knows precisely which credit teams are currently taking a more lenient view on contractor income calculations.

Are you applying as a sole trader or through a company, and how many years of contracting history do you currently have?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

best bank for contractors first home loan

When you are a contractor (or self-employed) looking for a first home loan in New Zealand , there is no single "best" bank because policy and appetite change depending on how long you have been contracting and how your income is structured.

Instead, New Zealand lenders fall into two categories depending on your track record:

1. Mainstream Major Banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank, SBS)

  • Best if: You have been contracting in the same industry with consistent income for at least 2 years (and have 2 years of IR3 tax returns and financial statements to prove it).

  • The Advantage: If you meet their standard criteria, you get the sharpest standard interest rates and full access to first-home buyer cashback offers or Welcome Home/Kainga Ora grants/loans support.

  • The Catch: Major banks act like "financial factories"—if your accounts show a lower net profit because your accountant optimized your tax write-offs, or if you haven't hit that magical 2-year mark, they can be rigid and difficult to deal with.

2. Specialist / Non-Bank Lenders (e.g., Pepper Money, Liberty Financial, Avanti Finance)

  • Best if: You have been contracting for less than 2 years , have irregular income streams, or your tax returns don't reflect your actual current cash flow.

  • The Advantage: These lenders look past rigid computer-scored tick-boxes. They may accept 6 months of GST returns, active contract agreements, or accountant-prepared projections rather than waiting for two full years of historical IR3 filings.

  • The Catch: Interest rates or establishment fees might be slightly higher initially, but many contractors use them as a stepping stone to refinance with a major bank after establishing a longer trading history. [mortgagesuite.co.nz]

Key Factors Banks Look At for Contractors

  • Continuity of Industry: If you were a salaried employee as an IT specialist and transitioned straight into contracting as an IT specialist with the same client/industry, mainstream banks view this much more favorably than a complete career pivot.

  • The "Add-Backs": A good lender or broker will help isolate your true cash flow by adding back non-cash expenses like depreciation or one-off asset purchases that your accountant used to lower your taxable income.

  • Deposit Size: Having a 20% deposit opens up significantly more flexibility across both main banks and alternative lenders, easing LVR (Loan-to-Value Ratio) restrictions.

Recommended Next Step

Because every bank weighs contractor income differently (and policies shift frequently), navigating this directly with retail branches can lead to unnecessary credit footprint declines if you apply to the wrong one first.

To help narrow down which specific lender matches your situation, could you tell me:

  • How long have you been contracting (and were you in the same line of work previously)?
  • What size deposit do you have saved?
  • Do you have 2 years of IR3 tax returns ready?
Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · National

best bank for contractors first home loan

AI Overview

In New Zealand, there is no single "best bank" for independent contractors buying their first home. Instead, the right choice depends on your trading structure, the longevity of your contracting history, and how much deposit you have saved.

Mainstream retail banks (Tier 1) calculate your borrowing capacity based on the average of your past two years of tax returns (IR3/IR4). However, if you are a newly transitioned contractor or have a complex income stream, certain banks and non-bank lenders offer much greater flexibility.

The Best Lenders for Contractors by Scenario

1. The Major Banks (Tier 1 Lenders)

  • ANZ: As New Zealand's largest mortgage lender , ANZ has a dedicated self-employed and specialist credit assessment team. They are highly competitive if you have two solid years of clean financial statements and are useful if you want to bundle your business banking with your home loan.

  • Westpac: Westpac features a "Fast Track" assessment process explicitly tailored for self-employed individuals and business owners. They are also a primary participant in the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan scheme , making them a top choice if you only have a 5% deposit.

  • Kiwibank: Kiwibank is highly cooperative with first-home buyers and supports the Kāinga Ora 5% deposit pathway. They look closely at your career sustainability alongside standard accounting figures.

2. Non-Bank Lenders (Tier 2 Alternative)

If you have been contracting for less than two years , or your taxable income is heavily reduced by legitimate business expenses, mainstream banks will often decline or limit your borrowing power.

  • Avanti Finance & Resimac: These are prominent non-bank lenders in NZ. They offer "Near Prime" or "Low-Doc" loans that look at your current day-rate contracts and business bank statements rather than demanding historical IRD tax returns. The trade-off is that they generally charge higher interest rates than Tier 1 banks. Should you choose a nonTop 5 Non-Bank Lenders in New Zealand [2026]Contractor Mortgages in NZ: How to Get Approved in 2026

Critical Variables: What Determines Your Approval?

  • Income Verification: Banks usually average your net profit (after expenses) over the last two years. If your second year is significantly higher, specialist teams at select major banks can sometimes evaluate the application using only the most recent year's data to reflect a rising trend.

  • The 5% Deposit Rule (First Home Loan): If you earn under $95,000 before tax as a sole borrower (or $150,000 combined/with dependents), you can access the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan through banks like Westpac, Kiwibank, or SBS Bank. This requires only a 5% deposit instead of the standard 20%.

  • Mitigating Risk via Your CV: Because contracting is perceived as variable, a comprehensive professional CV is a powerful asset. Providing a resume that demonstrates career longevity and consistent demand for your skills reassures the bank's credit underwriters that you can instantly land another contract if your current one finishes.

How to Get "Bank Ready" as a Contractor

  1. Work with your Accountant: Do not aggressively maximize your tax deductions right before applying. Banks look at your net taxable income; minimizing tax also minimizes your paper borrowing capacity.

  2. Audit Your Spending: For 3 months prior to applying, pause non-essential subscription services and avoid any Buy-Now-Pay-Later platforms. Clean bank statements substantially boost your uncommitted monthly income metrics.

  3. Engage a Mortgage Broker: Because contractor policies change rapidly across New Zealand banks, using an independent mortgage broker is strongly recommended. They know which credit managers look favorably upon day-rate contracts and can pitch your file to the lender best matched to your exact financial profile.

Lender Category Top Options Best Suited For Key Requirement
Tier 1 Banks (Mainstream) ANZ, Westpac, Kiwibank Contractors with 2+ years of solid tax history or those utilizing the 5% Kāinga Ora deposit scheme. 2 years of IR3/IR4 tax returns + clear financial accounts.
Tier 2 Lenders (Alternative) Avanti Finance, Resimac, Liberty Contractors with < 2 years history, or highly irregular/complex business income structures. Strong business cash flow and business bank statement tracking.

To help me give you more relevant advice, could you share how long you have been contracting and whether you have your latest two years of tax returns completed?

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026