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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

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

For a self-employed person in New Zealand who already has a mortgage and earns an uneven income, I wouldn't choose a bank based on its advertised mortgage rate alone. I'd prioritise flexible cash flow, low fees, access to savings, and how well the bank accommodates self-employed borrowers.

The best option may be different for someone whose income is seasonal, someone who invoices clients and waits weeks to get paid, or someone whose annual income is healthy but whose monthly income fluctuates.

What matters most for your situation

  • A flexible mortgage: The ability to make extra repayments when business is good without excessive break fees or restrictions.
  • A cash buffer: Keeping enough money accessible to cover your mortgage and essential bills during quieter months.
  • An offset or revolving-credit facility: Potentially reducing mortgage interest while keeping cash accessible for business expenses.
  • Business-friendly banking: Reasonable transaction fees, easy tax-payment management and separate business and personal accounts.
  • Lending flexibility: If you need to refinance or borrow more later, the bank's approach to assessing self-employed income matters.

My shortlist of New Zealand banks

1. Kiwibank

Best starting point

Best for managing irregular income with an offset mortgage.

Kiwibank specifically describes its offset home loan as useful for irregular income. You can use eligible linked personal accounts to reduce the mortgage balance on which interest is calculated, while keeping the money accessible. Business accounts are excluded from the eligible linked accounts for new offset loans. Offset home loan | Home loans

Explore Kiwibank offset mortgages

2. ASB

Best if you want a flexible mortgage with redraw access.

ASB's Orbit revolving-credit home loan lets you pay money into the loan when cash comes in, then redraw funds within your approved limit. This can suit variable business cash flow, although you need discipline to avoid continually reusing the credit. Does ASB offer a mortgage offset account?

Explore ASB Orbit

3. BNZ

Best if you want to offset your mortgage using everyday savings.

BNZ's TotalMoney offsets eligible linked transaction-account balances against your mortgage for interest calculations. It is worth comparing if you regularly build up cash between invoices or during busy seasons. TotalMoney home loans - Offset mortgages

Explore BNZ TotalMoney

4. ANZ

Worth comparing if your personal and business banking are closely connected.

ANZ accepts accountant-prepared financial statements as evidence of self-employed income. Ask it to compare your existing mortgage structure with available flexible options, and whether any business banking package offers meaningful benefits for your situation. How to apply for a Home Loan

Explore ANZ home loans

These are a shortlist based on product features, not a definitive ranking of approval rates or total costs. The right choice depends on your existing mortgage terms and how much cash you typically hold.

Which mortgage structure is likely to suit you?

Your circumstances Option to investigate
Income arrives in large, irregular payments Offset mortgage
You need to draw cash back for expenses Revolving credit
You prefer predictable repayments Mostly fixed-rate mortgage plus a smaller flexible portion
You regularly hold substantial business cash Compare business and personal account arrangements carefully

One important caution: If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, moving to a different structure or switching banks may trigger break costs or other fees. Ask for a full cost comparison before refinancing.

What I'd do in your position

I'd start by comparing Kiwibank's offset option with ASB Orbit and BNZ TotalMoney. I'd also ask each bank how it assesses self-employed income if I wanted to top up or refinance later. BNZ, for example, requests the business's latest two annual financial statements for self-employed mortgage applications. Preparing for a home loan appointmentRefinancing your home loan

To narrow this down to the best fit for you, one question:

How do you usually get paid?

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

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

In New Zealand, identifying the "best" bank for self-employed individuals with an existing mortgage and uneven income depends less on a single bank's brand and more on how the loan is structured and how credit policies handle variable income. Because you already own a mortgage and are managing cash flow fluctuations, mainstream New Zealand retail banks (such as ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) evaluate these scenarios through specific structural lenses.

Key Structural Features for Uneven Income

When dealing with irregular or seasonal self-employed cash flow alongside an existing mortgage, two primary loan facilities provide the necessary flexibility:

  1. Revolving Credit Facilities:
    • How it works: Combines your mortgage and everyday transactional/business-personal cash flow into a single facility. Your uneven income drops straight into the account, instantly lowering the daily balance on which interest is calculated.
    • Why it helps: During high-income months, your balance drops significantly, reducing interest. During lean months, you can draw back up to your limit without needing formal bank approval or triggering repayment penalties.
  2. Offset Mortgages with Multiple Floating Splits:
    • How it works: Links everyday or savings accounts to a floating mortgage portion. The money sitting in those accounts "offsets" the loan balance dollar-for-dollar for interest calculation purposes, but remains fully accessible for business or living expenses.
    • Why it helps: It keeps your cash buffer visible and separate while softening the impact of variable income months on your interest ledger.

How Major NZ Banks Compare for Flexibility

While all major New Zealand retail banks offer revolving credit and offset facilities, their appetite and policy flexibility for self-employed borrowers differ:

  • Kiwibank: Often viewed as flexible with loan structuring and accommodating for local owner-operators and contractors. They handle split structures smoothly, allowing you to keep a portion of your existing mortgage fixed (for stability) while putting a portion on a flexible or offset facility.
  • ASB and ANZ: Both feature robust digital banking platforms (such as ASB’s Orbit Home Loan or ANZ's Flexible Home Loan) that make managing revolving credit or multi-offset accounts intuitive. Their credit policies are robust, but they generally require clear, accountant-prepared financials or transparent GST returns if you are adjusting or restructuring your current lending limits.
  • BNZ and Westpac: Offer competitive flexible options, though approval for extra lending or limit increases on flexible facilities will heavily scrutinize your latest IR3 summaries, business performance, and "add-backs" (depreciation or one-off expenses).

Strategic Action Plan

  1. Audit your existing mortgage structure: Review what proportion of your current loan is fixed versus floating. You generally cannot put a fixed-rate loan into a revolving credit or offset facility without incurring early repayment adjustment (break) costs.
  2. Establish a flexible split: Work with your lender or a mortgage broker to structure a portion of your lending into a revolving credit or offset account during your next refix window, matching the volume of your cash-flow fluctuations.
  3. Prepare "lender-ready" variable income proof: Ensure your accountant has your latest interim management accounts or GST returns up to date, as major banks require clear visibility of your average baseline earnings to safely manage or extend flexible credit limits.

Are you looking to restructure an existing portion of your home loan, or are you hoping to apply for additional lending alongside your uneven income?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

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

When you are self-employed with an uneven or seasonal income and already hold a mortgage, the "best" bank isn’t defined by a single logo, but rather by flexibility in loan structure (specifically revolving credit or offset facilities) and how they assess self-employed income fluctuations.

In New Zealand, the major retail banks (such as ANZ , ASB , BNZ , Westpac , and Kiwibank) all have different appetites and product mechanics for irregular income streams.

Key Structural Features You Need

For uneven income, standard fixed-principal-and-interest repayments can strain cash flow during lean months. Look for these structures:

  • Revolving Credit Facilities: Acts like a giant overdraft tied to your mortgage. During high-income months, surplus cash flows straight in to reduce the daily interest balance. During low-income months, you draw back down on it to cover living or business expenses. It provides maximum fluidity for uneven cash flow.

  • Offset Mortgages: Links your everyday or savings accounts to your mortgage balance so that your cash offsets the interest charged without you needing to technically "pay down" and redraw the principal. (Note: Fewer New Zealand banks offer robust multi-account offset compared to revolving credit, though providers like BNZ , Westpac , and Kiwibank feature prominent offset options).

How the Major New Zealand Banks Compare

  • ASB: Frequently rated highly by self-employed customers for everyday business integration (like Business Edge accounts) and flexible relationship banking. They are generally pragmatic with existing customers who have a proven track record, though their appetite still relies heavily on your accountant-prepared financials/tax returns.

  • ANZ: Noted for being flexible regarding self-employed assessment criteria (sometimes considering shorter or fluctuating windows if the overall equity and trading history are solid), and they handle large transactional volumes smoothly.

  • BNZ & Westpac: Both offer robust flexible options including revolving credit and offset combinations. If you want your operational cash flow to dynamically eat away at your mortgage interest daily, a flexible tranche with BNZ or Westpac works well for fluctuating cycles. [MoneyHub NZ]

  • Kiwibank: As a state-owned local option, they offer competitive offset and revolving credit structures and can sometimes offer a more personalized, communicative credit committee approach for complex self-employed structures compared to rigid Aussie-owned parent banks. [MoneyHub NZ]

What Matters Most

Because you already have a mortgage with an established relationship, your absolute best leverage is with your current lender. Refinancing or moving banks as a self-employed earner with uneven income triggers a full re-application requiring 2 years of bright-line IRD/financial statements, GST returns, and potentially a higher cost. Staying put and asking your current bank to restructure a portion of your existing loan into a revolving credit or offset facility is almost always faster, cheaper, and less stressful.

To help narrow down which specific bank or structure fits best, let me know:

  • Which bank is your current mortgage with?
  • Is your uneven income seasonal , or completely unpredictable month-to-month?
  • Roughly what percentage of your mortgage is currently fixed versus floating?
Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026