# Question 18: My partner and I rent, have steady jobs and are trying to save a deposit for our first home. We worry that the target keeps moving. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do the parties' housing plans differ for first-home buyers rather than existing property owners? Collected 26 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 365c0031-f03c-405f-9386-d7d068bb89ee # New Zealand 2026 election: Which housing policies matter most for first-home buyers? If you and your partner are renting, both working and trying to save a deposit, the central question isn't simply which party promises cheaper housing. It's which policies could help you buy sooner, reduce the amount you need to save, or stop house prices and rent from outrunning your savings. As of 26 October 2026, the parties are offering quite different approaches. National has announced a specific change to low-deposit lending; Labour combines housing construction with broader cost-of-living measures and a tax on investment property gains; and the Greens focus on building public housing, strengthening renters' rights and changing incentives that favour property investment. [National is backing first home buyers](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260906-backs-first-home-buyers)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting) I'll focus on policies relevant to people who don't yet own a home, rather than assuming that rising property values are automatically good for you. I'll also distinguish announced policies from outcomes that remain uncertain. ## 1. How the main parties differ Snapshot of announced policies available by 26 October 2026. These are proposals, not guaranteed results. ![Will National Party Finish 2nd in New Zealand's 2026 Election?](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/LCDs4P76HEgfCayafHeSga8GCw12Vxs2fPc3toeyLUZ-wmb6UiGRZY6bhdT1xRejtICfUd6GX2BWmI76EkpoWuffTU4g32bP_qUJp29rsfn5_Zvj5THHSYTLHSoo_5_YQyZ3zKE1WIpB4bu7raRltFl5TZFCgCcE0quf_GohkFI?purpose=inline) ### National Main approach: make a smaller deposit possible. National proposes extending the Government's First Home Loan income cap to $300,000 for all applicants, widening access to mortgages with deposits as low as 5%, rather than the typical 20% deposit. It also argues that planning reforms and more housing supply are important to affordability. [National is backing first home buyers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers)[National is backing first home buyers](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260906-backs-first-home-buyers) What this could mean for you: if your combined income exceeds the current eligibility limit, you may qualify for a low-deposit loan. You would still need lender approval and the ability to service the mortgage. ![South Island Election Conference 2026](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/_spFKDBqOMVPoo8r35YLoGFwljs_-WWe4ur9fdZCfekzAxaUPGA75u8rI9uxOUTssI2hUZN1r4Zu1AeDrcNaxz3uHoFIyWjDpanT5s-KJ87QzxSu1uNjNL4MOHSuazRZuTy_TzC6aN4wxHHoyU_DhzMFuMCMjNBTtg2xRxOZL6c?purpose=inline) ### Labour Main approach: build more homes and change investment-property tax settings. Labour proposes at least 6,000 additional social housing places over four years. Its broader programme includes construction investment and a 28% capital gains tax on gains from investment properties sold after 1 July 2027, excluding the family home. Labour also proposes increasing compulsory employer KiwiSaver contributions to 6% by 2032. [The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy) What this could mean for you: additional housing may ease pressure over time, while broader cost-of-living policies could leave you with more money to save. The KiwiSaver changes could also affect your take-home pay, depending on your circumstances. ![Green Party NZ (@NZGreens) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xwoeA3rTn5Pu0UL1uRc6X_g8ADsfUTe55rxQEjXC_rnFR_6TPTr_9eG0LsowNOdFRtax24qB8h-LRfUtZEf42T0CC5OclOZ5katbFJAYxs0cZRyqDBlGNgF_8AV_5WTCbYonGIqLGuK095lLGrkBVw3L8vdsA06tLHVNuCJquuc?purpose=inline) ### Green Party Main approach: make renting more secure and reduce the investment advantage of property ownership. The Greens propose building tens of thousands of public homes, limiting rent increases to 2%, reversing no-cause evictions, strengthening rental standards and reversing tax cuts for landlords and property speculators. They also propose investigating limits on the number of houses one owner or entity can buy. [Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting) What this could mean for you: stronger rental protections may help you budget and save more consistently. More public housing and changes to investor incentives could affect the wider housing market, but neither guarantees a cheaper first home. ![New Zealand Legislative Election Winner 2026 Odds | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/jofoEEdOXv6HOQzupGnQLgXlZKKPYTzvN6g4IUMlN6xdqX4l_qH5-Y0A3to5ytO5w95eGsg-WLInlnku5FmW0VEyKqhTiAqcZSbr_Z1e_uNyqacdq4zniDKhRNRugVUCsz1-CYpZeG4nO7sLuQKEQlQMBgJCAoyH3nC76yYHd6E?purpose=inline) ### ACT Main approach: market incentives and property-investment settings. ACT's announced property policies include abolishing the ring-fencing of rental-property losses, alongside energy and consenting changes. The available October policy roundup does not identify a comparable new first-home deposit subsidy from ACT. [The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting)[Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison) What this could mean for you: ACT's approach puts more emphasis on investment and market settings than on a new direct deposit benefit. The effects on rents, investor demand and house prices are uncertain. ![New Zealand legislative election winner? Predictions & Od... 2026 | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/UmXClDd76aKEk_XyXfEEacFBHXO18HFMG1Im-weRm7tb64uGzBsRK3vWPXuiFN2zaWaNznb7eSDIJucKOhlXtwb6Lq-BYR6oxisKzHsWTxF5AsiLmtcNGDNtwCsXzgIuSp2vW4pa6pAda-tTriG23zKX1ZuknQ81HGh411pqRkM?purpose=inline) ### New Zealand First Main approach: coordinate population growth, infrastructure and housing development. NZ First proposes a 30-year population plan to coordinate immigration, housing and infrastructure, faster housing-development processes with infrastructure requirements, and prioritising citizens for social housing. [The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting)[Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison) What this could mean for you: the emphasis is on the conditions needed to build and service homes, rather than a new direct first-home deposit programme in the policies identified here. ![New Zealand Legislative Election Winner 2026 Odds | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/HHEWLfcjRbgNTl3J7ZI3ahpGFiM337cSMZSj-gfqthhb3O1OJ8vhDGH4x2nBOUQoPRFHldf4E0rUprxmRG4JddGiw5atorslzfs34M-9xbTy2yNYWAjL5wP10lk3C-YjZAm-m43DF6her5QZGf5OtQEw7NLpqO4hrIjzpsWiQm8?purpose=inline) ### Te Pāti Māori Main approach: change housing and wealth incentives. Its announced property positions include rent controls, an annual 2% tax on residential homes left empty for more than three months, and wider tax reform including a wealth tax. The property-sector comparison does not identify a specific new low-deposit loan scheme from the party. [Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison)[Which Party Should I Vote For? Your Guide to the 2026 Election](https://www.salient.org.nz/post/which-party-should-i-vote-for-your-guide-to-the-2026-election) What this could mean for you: its focus is on rental costs and discouraging certain forms of property accumulation, rather than a direct deposit grant. These summaries distinguish each party's main announced direction; they are not a claim that the parties have no other housing policies. You can check the full party-by-party listings at [Policy.nz's 2026 housing comparison](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing)[Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison) ## 2. What could actually help you reach your deposit? The difference between a policy that helps you buy sooner and one that makes housing more affordable in the long run is important. | Your biggest obstacle | Policies most directly relevant | What to watch for | | --- | --- | --- | | Saving a 20% deposit | National's proposed 5% First Home Loan expansion | Eligibility, lender approval and mortgage repayments | | Rent eating into savings | Greens' proposed 2% rent-increase cap; Labour's cost-of-living measures | Whether your rent would otherwise rise, and when changes take effect | | House prices rising faster than savings | Policies to increase housing supply; Greens' investor-focused tax changes; Labour's capital gains tax | Whether prices become more affordable relative to household incomes | | Not enough affordable homes being built | Labour's social housing expansion; Greens' public housing programme; National's supply and planning reforms | How many homes are actually completed, where they are built and at what price | | Uncertainty about the future | Greens' proposed rental protections and longer-term housing measures | Whether greater rental security helps you build a reliable savings plan | Sources: party policy announcements and the October 2026 policy comparison. [National is backing first home buyers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_announce_plan_to_end_homelessness_fix_housing_crisis)[The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up](https://www.interest.co.nz/property/140674/housing-policies-capital-gains-tax-solar-roll-outs-rent-controls-and-offsetting) ### An example: the difference a 5% deposit makes Suppose your target home costs $700,000. This is an illustrative example, not a prediction of prices in your area. Typical 20% deposit ## $140,000 Proposed 5% deposit route ## $35,000 ### Difference: $105,000 At $1,000 in monthly savings, that is 8 years and 9 months of saving — before accounting for interest, investment returns, fees or changes in house prices. National's proposal is especially relevant to people whose incomes are too high for the existing scheme but who still struggle to save 20%. However, a 5% deposit means borrowing more: on a $700,000 home, the loan would be approximately $665,000 rather than $560,000 with a 20% deposit. Interest costs and lender requirements still matter. [National is backing first home buyers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/backing-first-home-buyers)[National pledges to widen access to 5% first home deposits](https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/06/national-pledges-to-widen-access-to-5-first-home-deposits/) This illustrates the central trade-off: making the deposit hurdle lower is not the same as making the home itself cheaper. ## 3. The question that matters most: will your target keep moving? There are three separate things to consider when assessing the parties' plans. - Your savings rate: How much can you put aside after rent and everyday expenses? Policies that reduce recurring costs could help, even if they do not directly subsidise home buying. - The price of your target home: If house prices rise while you're saving, your deposit target rises too. Policies aimed at increasing supply or changing investor demand are intended to influence this wider problem, but the timing and size of any effect are uncertain. - Your borrowing capacity: A deposit alone won't get you a mortgage. Interest rates, income, existing debts, bank affordability assessments and lending rules all affect how much you can borrow. One further distinction is worth keeping in mind: public housing and rental protections can materially improve people's housing security even if those people never buy a home. They address a different problem from low-deposit lending, though both can matter to renters saving for their first purchase. ## 4. A practical way to compare the parties before voting Rather than asking which party is simply “best for housing”, you could assess each party against these questions: - Does it offer a specific, accessible route into homeownership for people in our income bracket? - Does it address the amount we pay in rent while saving? - Does it have a credible plan to increase the supply of homes we could actually afford? - How might its policies affect investors' incentives, house prices and rental availability? - Are the policies costed, and is there a clear implementation timetable? You can also check the parties' latest full policies at [Policy.nz](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing?utm_source=chatgpt.com). The election is on Saturday, 7 November 2026, with advance voting beginning on 26 October. [Election Policy Comparison](https://www.propertynz.co.nz/advocacy/election-policy-comparison)[Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/housing) One question would help make this comparison much more concrete for you: roughly what is your combined annual income before tax, and how much deposit have you saved so far? You can give broad ranges rather than exact figures. With those two numbers, I can explain which announced policies could affect your situation directly, without recommending how you should vote. ## Gemini Answer ID: c6f9302e-faf5-45b7-af34-0f65329adec0 Navigating the rental market while trying to save a deposit for a first home can feel like chasing a moving target—especially when house prices, interest rates, and policy changes all pull in different directions. Ahead of the **2026 New Zealand general election**, the major political parties have laid out distinct visions for the housing market. Their strategies generally fall into two different philosophies: **expanding access and market-led supply** (favored by the right-of-centre) versus **tax and demand-side intervention** (favored by the left-of-centre). --- ### 1. National & ACT (Centre-Right / Right) **Core Focus:** Helping first-home buyers overcome the deposit hurdle through schemes and boosting housing supply by cutting red tape for developers and landlords. * **First-Home Buyer Focus:** * **Expanded First Home Loans:** The National Party has pledged to significantly raise the income cap for the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan scheme (which allows buyers to purchase with a **5% deposit** instead of the standard 20%) to a single **$300,000 cap** (replacing the older, lower thresholds for individuals and couples). * **Planning & Consenting Reform:** Both National and ACT advocate replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA) and streamlining building consents. Their argument is that making land easier and cheaper to develop will increase overall housing supply, ultimately easing price pressures for buyers over time. * **Impact on Existing Property Owners & Investors:** * Current settings favored by existing owners and investors—such as 100% mortgage interest deductibility and a 2-year bright-line test—are maintained under their platforms. * **The Trade-off for First-Home Buyers:** While lower deposit rules help you enter the market sooner, keeping settings friendly for investors means you may still find yourself competing against established property investors at open homes. ### 2. Labour & The Greens (Centre-Left / Left) **Core Focus:** Directly targeting property speculation, cooling investor demand to level the playing field for first-home buyers, expanding public/social housing, and strengthening renter protections. * **First-Home Buyer Focus:** * **Targeted Demand Relief:** Labour argues that treating housing as a tax-advantaged asset heavily disadvantages working families trying to save a deposit. They have proposed a **Capital Gains Tax (CGT)** (excluding the family home) set to take effect from mid-2027. The intent is to cool speculative investor demand, making it less lucrative to outbid first-home buyers. * **Renter Security:** Because saving a deposit takes time, the left bloc places heavy emphasis on making renting more secure and affordable in the interim (e.g., through rental warrant of fitness standards and limiting rapid rent increases), helping you save without facing unpredictable cost shocks. * **Impact on Existing Property Owners & Investors:** * Existing owner-occupiers are generally protected (family homes are exempt from Labour's proposed CGT). However, property investors face increased tax obligations on capital gains. * **The Trade-off for First-Home Buyers:** Cooling investor demand can reduce competition at the lower end of the market, making it theoretically easier to secure a home. However, critics argue that fewer private investors could reduce overall rental stock or impact broader market dynamics. ### 3. Other Notable Approaches (NZ First, TOP, Te Pāti Māori) * **New Zealand First** leans heavily into home-ownership pathways while treating high net migration as a key driver of demand pressure, proposing immigration adjustments to help rebalance the market. * **The Opportunities Party (TOP)** proposes a structural overhaul via a broad **Land Value Tax (LVT)** on urban land to encourage building and discourage land banking. --- ### Summary: What it Means for You * If you want policies focused heavily on **lowering your upfront financial barrier** (like getting into a home with a 5% deposit on a higher combined income threshold) alongside market-led building, the **National/ACT** approach aligns closer with that strategy. * If you want policies focused on **curb-checking investor competition** via tax reform (like a capital gains tax) to take the steam out of house price inflation, alongside stronger rights for renters while you save, the **Labour/Green** approach aligns closer with that view. To help narrow this down for your household: **Are you more concerned right now with hurdles like saving the raw deposit amount and bank lending rules, or are you more worried about competing against established investors who keep driving purchase prices out of reach?** ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: dfaef308-927d-4e6f-8571-e9b50107941e Navigating the property ladder while renting and working steady jobs is a familiar pressure for many New Zealanders. Ahead of the 2026 general election, the major political parties have staked out distinct approaches to housing. The core divide in these policies typically sits between **demand-side support** (helping buyers get finance or lowering entry barriers), **supply-side reform** (zoning and building more homes to moderate price growth), and **tax/regulatory shifts** that treat first-home buyers differently from existing property owners or residential landlords. Here is an overview of how the key parties' housing strategies shape up for first-home buyers compared to existing property owners: 1\. National * * **For First-Home Buyers:** National has focused on easing the deposit barrier rather than direct cash grants. Their policy proposal involves expanding access to the Kāinga Ora First Home Loan 5% deposit scheme by lifting the income cap to **$300,000** for both single and combined incomes (replacing previous caps of $95,000 for singles and $150,000 for couples/families). The aim is to help higher-earning professionals or dual-income households who can service a mortgage but struggle to save a 20% deposit. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** National has historically favored maintaining incentives for private landlords and reducing red tape on property development. Previous policy adjustments under this administration reinstated interest deductibility for residential investment properties, a move that benefits existing property investors by lowering their tax liabilities compared to the previous phased removal. * 2\. Labour * * **For First-Home Buyers:** Labour has traditionally focused on direct government intervention to boost affordable supply and targeted grants, though details shift toward building state/public housing stock and supporting progressive homeownership models (like shared equity). They have tended to criticize high-income low-deposit expansions, arguing they risk pumping more demand into the market and inflating prices rather than solving structural affordability. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** Labour has historically leaned towards leveling the playing field against property speculators and investors—such as extending the bright-line test (capital gains timeframe on investment properties) and removing interest deductibility for landlords when they were last in government—framing these measures to reduce investor competition against first-home buyers. * 3\. The Greens * * **For First-Home Buyers:** The Greens emphasize systemic shifts to lower house prices structurally through large-scale state-led building programmes and market interventions. Their policy framework heavily promotes progressive homeownership, community housing, and renter protections so that people saving for a deposit aren't squeezed by high ongoing rent. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** The Greens advocate for major tax reforms targeting property wealth, such as implementing a comprehensive capital gains tax on commercial and residential properties (excluding the family home) and introducing land value or land-banking taxes. These policies are explicitly designed to make property hoarding and speculation less profitable, shifting capital away from residential real estate investment and cooling the market for first-time owner-occupiers. * 4\. ACT * * **For First-Home Buyers:** ACT focuses primarily on freeing up land supply through aggressive zoning reform (such as local infrastructure funding tied to consenting targets) to tackle the root cause of high house prices: artificial scarcity of land. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** ACT strongly backs property rights and commercial incentives, supporting interest deductibility for landlords and opposing new taxes on property or capital gains, arguing that private investment is essential to providing rental stock. * 5\. NZ First * * **For First-Home Buyers:** NZ First generally emphasizes regional development, infrastructure, and priority treatment for New Zealand citizens and residents in housing and social support allocations. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** They tend to be cautious around sweeping new property taxes that impact everyday mum-and-dad investors, while focusing regulatory tweaks on speeding up building consents and boosting regional housing supply. [Policy.nz] * * * * What this means for your moving target: * * **If you want lower purchase prices over the long term:** Parties on the left (Greens, Labour) propose tax changes (like capital gains or land taxes) designed to deter property speculation and level the playing field against multi-property owners. The counter-argument from the right (National, ACT) is that these taxes hurt the rental market and that the true fix is aggressively deregulating land and building more houses to drive down costs through supply. * **If your bottleneck is the deposit itself:** Policies like National’s proposed expansion of the 5% low-deposit loan thresholds aim to get you through the bank's door sooner if you have a steady income, though you will still need to service a larger mortgage and pay lender's mortgage insurance. * To see how these policies line up side-by-side or to check for fresh 2026 campaign announcements, you can explore detailed comparison tools on Policy.nz or read the ongoing RNZ Housing Policy Guide. Housing policy guide ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 5b438c3d-e7fe-4184-ab77-ef95b6c8b774 The major political parties contesting the **2026 New Zealand general election** approach the housing market from fundamentally different angles. National and ACT prioritize market supply and tax relief for property owners to stimulate the economy, while Labour and the Greens focus heavily on supporting first-home buyers and protecting renters by applying taxes and restrictions to existing owners and investors. The primary differences in their policies specifically target your transition from renting to first-time ownership. National Party National focuses on expanding lower-deposit financing for buyers while retaining tax advantages for property owners to encourage market activity. * **For First-Home Buyers:** **Lifting the First Home Loan income cap to $300,000** for both single and combined applicants. This change widens access to 5% deposit government-backed mortgages, removing the tight income ceilings that previously excluded many steady-earning couples. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** National retains the policy changes it restored during its term, including **full interest deductibility for landlords** and a shortened **two-year bright-line property tax test**. This makes it financially easier to hold and trade existing investment property. Labour Party Labour targets building deposit sizes over time for buyers while intentionally tilting the financial balance away from property investors. * **For First-Home Buyers:** Labour also supports expanding the First Home Loan scheme income threshold to $300,000. However, they emphasize long-term wealth building, opposing National's prior cuts to the first-home grant program. They focus heavily on ramping up state construction with **$2.9 billion for Kāinga Ora** to alleviate broad rental demand and keep entry-level market prices stable. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** Labour rules out making changes to interest deductibility. They intend to keep rules tight for property investors, historically prioritizing rules that prevent landlords from having structural tax advantages over first-home buyers in the open market. Green Party The Greens propose structural wealth taxes and heavy rental regulations, framing housing purely as a human right rather than an investment vehicle. * **For Renters & First-Home Buyers:** To help you save while renting, they propose a **Renters' Rights Bill with a 2% annual cap on rent increases** , an independent rental Warrant of Fitness (WoF), and a national landlord register. They also plan to construct tens of thousands of public homes to permanently lower market pressure. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** The Greens plan to introduce a **28% capital gains tax** on residential properties (excluding the primary family home). They also propose investigating a hard **cap on the number of properties an individual or company can own**. ACT Party ACT campaigns on deregulation, viewing tenant protections and rental caps as barriers that actively choke housing supply and drive up rents. * **For First-Home Buyers:** ACT aims to lower the baseline price of entry-level housing by **slashing building red tape**. They replaced the Resource Management Act with property-rights-based planning laws to fast-track construction and boost natural market supply. * **For Existing Property Owners / Investors:** ACT strongly favors existing property owners, introducing policies to **abolish loss ring-fencing for rental properties**. This allows landlords to offset residential rental losses against other income sources to incentivize property development. Summary Comparison for First-Home Buyers Party| Core Deposit Assistance Strategy| Impact on Landlords & Existing Investors ---|---|--- **National**| Lift First Home Loan cap to $300,000 for 5% deposits.| Keeps restored tax breaks (interest deductibility/2-yr bright-line). **Labour**| Backs $300,000 cap extension; focus on state house building.| Retains restrictions on interest deductibility to balance the market. **Greens**| 2% rent caps to ease savings stress; scale public housing.| 28% Capital Gains Tax; potential caps on property portfolio sizes. **ACT**| Lower house entry costs via deep supply-side planning deregulation.| Abolish loss ring-fencing to favor investor portfolios. If you are looking for immediate relief on the size of the required deposit, **National or Labour’s** loan-cap alignment gives you the quickest route to buying with 5% down. If you feel your current rent is the biggest hurdle to saving, the **Greens'** policies focus heavily on lowering your day-to-day rental expenses. To help you look closer at how this impacts your budget, would you like to see a breakdown of what a **5% deposit vs. a standard 20% deposit** looks like under current average house prices?