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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 mortgage after new build completion

Best bank mortgage after completing a new build in New Zealand

If your new build is complete, the best mortgage will usually be the bank offering the lowest overall cost, a suitable fixed-rate term, and flexibility to repay extra or restructure your lending — not necessarily the bank with the lowest advertised interest rate.

The key question is whether you're arranging a mortgage for the first time after building, or refinancing an existing construction loan into a standard home loan. Banks can assess these situations differently, particularly if your build has gone over budget or your final property valuation differs from expectations.

1. Which banks should you compare?

These are the lenders I would start with for a completed new build in New Zealand.

  1. ANZ New Zealand

Worth approaching for a competitive fixed rate and a quote on refinancing your completed build. Compare its special rate against the other major banks.

Best for: a rate negotiation starting point.

ANZ home loans

  1. ASB

Compare its fixed-rate options and how it would structure the loan once the construction facility is fully drawn.

Best for: comparing mainstream home-loan options.

ASB home loans

  1. BNZ

Worth comparing if you want to split the mortgage into fixed and floating portions, make extra repayments, or reorganise the loan after construction. Manage your home loan

Best for: flexible loan structuring.

BNZ home loans

  1. Kiwibank

Include it in your comparison for its special fixed rates and the total cost of refinancing or completing your construction lending.

Best for: an additional competitive quote.

Kiwibank home loans

  1. TSB

A useful additional quote, particularly if its advertised special rate and lending conditions suit your equity position. Its published special rates generally require at least 20% deposit or equity. Home Loan Rates, Fees & Agreements

Best for: widening your rate comparison.

TSB rates and fees

2. What interest rate should you aim for?

As a recent market benchmark, the Reserve Bank's September 2026 figures showed average advertised special rates of approximately 4.97% for one year and 5.27% for two years. These are market averages, not guaranteed offers for your loan. New residential mortgage special interest rates (B21) - Reserve Bank of New Zealand

You can compare the latest offers through Staircase's NZ mortgage rate comparison.

My approach would be to:

  • Get written quotes from at least three banks.
  • Ask each bank for its best special rate and any cash contribution available.
  • Compare one-year and two-year fixed terms, rather than automatically choosing the lowest short-term rate.
  • Check any cashback clawback period, break fees, legal fees and low-equity margin.
  • Ask whether the completed new build qualifies for special lending terms. New builds can have different LVR treatment from existing homes, but lender criteria still apply. New Build Mortgages NZ – Construction Loans

3. Let’s narrow it down to the best bank for your situation

The most important factor is how your new build was financed.

With those details, I can narrow the list to the most relevant banks and compare their current offers, rather than recommending a lender based on the headline rate alone.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · National

best bank mortgage after new build completion

When a construction loan transitions into a standard mortgage upon new build completion, the "best" bank depends on whether you want to lock in a competitive standard/special fixed rate, utilize cashbacks, or transition smoothly from your build package.

Major New Zealand banks approach post-completion mortgages with distinct advantages:

1. Top Contenders for Post-Completion Mortgages

  • ANZ (Best for Package Transitions): If you used ANZ’s Blueprint to Build construction loan during your build, your variable/floating rates were discounted. Upon completion, you transition smoothly into standard fixed or floating terms. ANZ also offers strong Healthy Homes packages (discounted rates if your new build achieves a high Homestar rating).
  • ASB (Best for Low-Deposit New Builds): ASB is historically very competitive on construction margins and standard fixed terms. They allow up to 95% LVR (Loan-to-Value Ratio) for certain new builds, which is a major advantage given that new builds are exempt from standard RBNZ LVR restrictions.
  • BNZ (Overall Value & Flexibility): Awarded Canstar’s Bank of the Year Home Loans, BNZ offers robust offset facilities (like TotalMoney) which are helpful post-completion if you have cash savings to offset against your new mortgage to reduce interest.
  • Kiwibank & Westpac (Competitive Pricing): Kiwibank and Westpac frequently lead the major banks with some of the sharpest standard and short-term fixed rates (hovering around 4.75% to 4.99% for 6-month to 1-year terms), making them ideal if your primary goal is finding the absolute lowest immediate interest rate upon fixing your completed home.

2. Key Factors to Consider When Refixing Post-Completion

  • Moving from Floating to Fixed: During construction, you typically draw down funds progressively on a floating/variable rate. Once the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) is issued and the build is finished, you will want to lock that floating balance into a fixed-rate term (e.g., 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years) to secure stability.
  • The 20% Equity Threshold ("Special" Rates): To get the lowest advertised "special" interest rates from any major bank, you generally need at least 20% equity (or a 20% total stake when combining your land, build cost, and valuation). If your new build valuation came in higher than expected (increasing your equity), ensure the bank re-evaluates your LVR so you aren't stuck paying a Low Equity Margin (LEM).
  • Cashback Offers: If you are refinancing or looking to shift banks right as the build finishes to chase a better rate, major banks frequently offer cashback incentives (often thousands of dollars for loans over $250,000) to cover legal and administrative costs. However, check clawback clauses if you leave within 3 to 4 years.

Recommendation

If you stayed with your construction lender (such as ANZ or ASB), ask them to price-match the sharpest market rates available across the other major banks before you lock in your post-completion fixed term.

Are you looking to stay with your current construction lender, or are you hoping to shop around or refinance with a new bank now that the build is finished?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · National

best bank mortgage after new build completion

When a new build is completed and the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) is issued, your construction loan typically converts into a standard residential home loan. Finding the "best" bank at this stage depends on your specific financial profile, equity position, and what you prioritize (lowest interest rates, highest cashbacks, or flexible offset/revolving credit facilities).

Major New Zealand banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) approach completed new builds differently based on your loan-to-value ratio (LVR) and overall package offerings:

  • ANZ: Highly competitive standard and fixed rates, robust digital tools (GoMoney), and structured cashback incentives for large lending amounts, making them a solid all-rounder once the construction phase ends.

  • ASB: Known for great flexibility with floating and fixed options, strong green loan add-ons (which might apply if your new build has a high Homestar rating or energy-efficient features), and competitive cashback offers.

  • BNZ: Frequently offers flexible offset accounts (TotalMoney) which are exceptional for parking savings against your newly converted mortgage to reduce interest.

  • Kiwibank: Often aggressive with lower special fixed interest rates for owner-occupiers and first-home buyers, though cashback structures and clawback periods vary compared to the big four Australian-owned banks.

  • Westpac: Good transition process from construction to standard table/revolving credit loans, with solid legal contribution/cashback packages conditional on keeping the loan for a minimum term (usually 3–4 years).

Key Factors to Consider Post-Completion

  1. Converting the Loan: Ensure your transition from progress payments (interest-only on drawn funds) to a standard principal-and-interest table mortgage is seamless. [Ecotectural Home Builders]
  2. Cashback / Refinancing Incentives: If you used a construction loan with one bank, check their refinancing or restructuring terms. If you aren't locked into a clawback period, shopping around other banks for a post-completion cashback (often around $3,000 to 1% of the loan value depending on size) might be worthwhile.
  3. Green Home Loans: Because your build is brand new, check if your property qualifies for low-interest "green" or sustainability upgrades/top-ups (offered by banks like ANZ and ASB) for things like solar panels, EV chargers, or advanced insulation.

To help narrow down which bank fits best, tell me:

  • What is your approximate mortgage size and estimated LVR (equity) post-completion?
  • Are you looking for maximum cash back , the lowest fixed interest rate , or offset/revolving credit flexibility?
Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026