Buying your first home starts before the open home.首次购房，最好在看房前就开始准备贷款。

KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal

KiwiSaver 首次购房提取

KiwiSaver members who meet the eligibility criteria can withdraw most of their savings — excluding the $1,000 kick-start contribution and any Government subsidy contributions such as the early childhood education payment — to help purchase their first home. These rules are set by the New Zealand Government via the KiwiSaver Act 2006 and administered by each provider.

符合资格条件的 KiwiSaver 会员可提取大部分储蓄（不包括 $1,000 启动金和任何政府补贴缴款，如早期幼儿教育补助），用于购买首套住房。这些规则由新西兰政府通过《KiwiSaver 法案 2006》制定，由各 providers 执行。

To be eligible you must have been a KiwiSaver member for at least three years and never owned a property before. If you have previously owned a home, you may still qualify under limited reinstatement provisions — for example, after a separation or if you have been out of the property market for a significant period. Each provider assesses reinstatement differently.

要符合资格，您必须已是 KiwiSaver 会员至少三年，且从未拥有过房产。如果您曾经拥有过房屋，在某些有限恢复条款下仍可能有资格——例如分居后，或您已长时间离开房地产市场。各 providers 对恢复资格的评估标准不同。

The maximum withdrawal is the full balance of your member contributions and employer contributions, plus investment returns. You cannot withdraw funds that came from the Government's contribution. Most providers process a withdrawal request within 10 to 15 working days, though some take longer if documentation is incomplete.

最高可提取金额为您个人缴款和雇主缴款的全部余额，加上投资收益。您不能提取来自政府补贴的部分。大多数 providers 在 10 到 15 个工作日内处理提取申请，如果文件不齐全，部分可能需要更长时间。

You will need a solicitor's confirmation that you have an agreement to purchase a property or that you are a first-home buyer intending to purchase. Lenders typically require the KiwiSaver withdrawal to be applied towards the deposit before or at settlement. The funds are usually paid directly to your solicitor's trust account.

您需要律师确认您已签署购房协议或您是计划购房的首次购房者。贷款机构通常要求 KiwiSaver 提取款在交割前或交割时用于首付。资金通常直接支付到您的律师信托账户。

An important practical point: your KiwiSaver balance is not guaranteed. Market movements can reduce the balance between the time you check it online and when the withdrawal is processed. If your provider's default fund has a conservative or balanced investment mix, this risk is lower but not zero. It is advisable to request an official balance statement from your provider no more than one month before your planned purchase.

一个重要实际操作点：您的 KiwiSaver 余额并非保证不变。从您在线查看余额到提取处理完成之间，市场波动可能使余额减少。如果您的 providers 默认基金属于保守型或平衡型投资组合，这一风险较低但并非为零。建议在计划购房前一个月内向您的 provider 索取官方余额证明。

The withdrawal counts towards your deposit but not as equity for lending purposes — lenders still require genuine savings or other evidence of deposit capacity before they issue pre-approval. A mortgage adviser can confirm which combination of KiwiSaver, savings, and gifted funds works best for your lender shortlist.

提取款计入您的首付，但不作为贷款用途的股本——贷款机构在发放预批前仍要求真实储蓄或其他首付能力证明。贷款顾问可以确认哪种 KiwiSaver、储蓄和赠与资金的组合最适合您的贷款机构候选名单。

Pre-approval checklist

预批材料清单

A pre-approval (also called a home loan pre-qualification) gives you confidence in your budget before you start making offers. Lenders will assess your income, expenses, deposit, and credit history. Providing a complete application upfront speeds up the process and improves your chances of approval.

预批（也称为房贷资格预审）让您在出价前对自己的预算有信心。贷款机构将评估您的收入、支出、首付和信用记录。提前提交完整的申请可以加快审批速度并提高批准几率。

Here is what lenders typically ask for:

以下是贷款机构通常要求的材料：

Proof of income — three months of payslips if you are a salaried employee, or two to three years of financial statements and IRD tax summaries if you are self-employed or a contractor. Bonus and commission income may require evidence of receipt over at least 12 months.

收入证明 — 受薪雇员需提供三个月的工资单；自雇或合同工需提供两到三年的财务报表和 IRD 税务摘要。奖金和佣金收入可能需要至少 12 个月的收款记录证明。

Identification — certified copy of your passport, driver licence, or New Zealand firearms licence. Some lenders accept digital verification through their app if you bank with them.

身份证明 — 护照、驾驶执照或新西兰枪证核证副本。部分贷款机构接受通过其 App 进行数字验证（如果您是他们的银行客户）。

Bank statements — the last three months of transaction history for all accounts you hold, including savings, everyday, and credit-card accounts. Lenders review spending patterns, not just the balance.

银行对账单 — 您名下所有账户最近三个月的交易记录，包括储蓄账户、日常账户和信用卡账户。贷款机构会查看消费模式，而不仅仅是余额。

Expense records — a breakdown of regular living costs including rent or board, utilities, insurance, groceries, transport, childcare, and any other recurring outgoings. Lenders use these to calculate your net disposable income.

支出记录 — 常规生活费用明细，包括房租或食宿费、水电费、保险、食品杂货、交通、育儿及其他经常性支出。贷款机构用这些数据计算您的可支配净收入。

Deposit evidence — three months of savings history showing genuine saving behaviour, plus any KiwiSaver withdrawal confirmation, gift letter from family, or property sale documents if you already own a home.

首付证明 — 三个月的储蓄记录显示真实储蓄行为，以及任何 KiwiSaver 提取确认函、家庭赠与信或房产出售文件（如您已拥有房产）。

Liabilities — details of any existing debts including credit card limits, personal loans, car loans, student loans, and buy-now-pay-later arrangements. Lenders factor in the maximum possible repayment, not just the minimum.

负债情况 — 任何现有债务的详细信息，包括信用卡额度、个人贷款、车贷、学生贷款和先买后付安排。贷款机构会按最大可能还款额计算，而不仅仅是最低还款额。

Property details — if you already have a specific property in mind, include the sale and purchase agreement, LIM report, builder's report, and valuation if available. For general pre-approval, lenders work with an estimated purchase price.

房产详情 — 如果您已有具体的房产目标，请提供买卖协议、LIM 报告、建筑报告和估值报告（如有）。对于一般性预批，贷款机构会使用预估购买价格。

Having these ready before you speak to a mortgage adviser or lender can reduce the pre-approval timeline from weeks to days. A mortgage adviser can also help you identify which documents each lender on your shortlist actually prioritises.

在与贷款顾问或贷款机构沟通前准备好的这些材料，可以将预批时间从数周缩短到数天。贷款顾问还可以帮您确定候选贷款机构各自优先看重的文件。

Low-deposit options

低首付选项

A standard home loan in New Zealand typically requires a 20% deposit. However, several pathways exist for buyers who can meet specific lender or government criteria with a lower deposit.

新西兰的标准房贷通常要求 20% 首付。但对于符合特定贷款机构或政府标准的购房者，存在多种低首付途径。

First Home Grant and First Home Loan — the Government's Kainga Whenua programme offers a First Home Grant of up to $10,000 for eligible buyers who have been contributing to KiwiSaver for at least three years. The First Home Loan allows you to purchase with as little as 5% deposit on properties under a regional price cap, though a lender risk premium applies to the interest rate.

首房补助金和首房贷款 — 政府的 Kainga Whenua 计划为符合条件的购房者提供最高 $10,000 的首房补助金（需已向 KiwiSaver 缴款至少三年）。首房贷款允许您以低至 5% 的首付购买房产（需在区域价格上限以下），但利率会包含贷款机构风险溢价。

Low-equity fee — most major banks accept deposits between 10% and 19% if the borrower pays a one-off low-equity premium. This can add between 0.3% and 1% of the loan amount as an upfront cost. The fee reduces or disappears once your loan-to-value ratio (LVR) drops below 80%.

低产权费 — 大多数主流银行接受 10% 至 19% 的首付，但借款人需支付一次性低产权溢价。这可能在贷款金额的 0.3% 至 1% 之间，作为前期成本。一旦您的贷款价值比（LVR）降至 80% 以下，该费用会降低或取消。

Non-bank lenders — some non-bank lenders will accept a 10% deposit without a low-equity premium, though their interest rates are typically higher than the major banks. These can be useful as a stepping stone — after 12 to 24 months of on-time payments, you may be able to refinance to a mainstream lender at a better rate.

非银行贷款机构 — 部分非银行贷款机构接受 10% 首付且不收取低产权溢价，但其利率通常高于主流银行。这可以作为过渡方案——在按时还款 12 到 24 个月后，您可能能够以更优惠的利率重新融资到主流贷款机构。

It is important to note that low-deposit lending is subject to LVR restrictions set by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Currently, banks can only do a limited volume of lending above 80% LVR, which means they are selective. A mortgage adviser can help position your application to meet lender criteria.

需要注意的是，低首付贷款受新西兰储备银行设定的 LVR 限制。目前，银行只能发放有限数量的超过 80% LVR 的贷款，这意味着它们具有选择性。贷款顾问可以帮助优化您的贷款申请以满足贷款机构标准。

Even with a low-deposit option, you still need genuine savings to demonstrate repayment capacity. Lenders typically want to see at least three months of consistent saving behaviour, even if the total amount is smaller than a full 20% deposit would require.

即使使用低首付选项，您仍需要真实储蓄来证明还款能力。贷款机构通常希望看到至少三个月的稳定储蓄行为，即使存款总额低于完整 20% 首付所需金额。

It depends on lender policy, property type, income, and whether low-deposit options are available. A review can show what is realistic.

这取决于贷款机构政策、房产类型、收入和是否有低首付路径。评估后才能看清现实选择。

Many first-home buyers use KiwiSaver, but eligibility and timing need to be checked early.

很多首次购房者会用 KiwiSaver，但资格和时间安排需要提前确认。

Timing depends on document quality, lender workload, and complexity. Preparing well can reduce delays.

时间取决于材料质量、贷款机构处理速度和案例复杂度。准备充分可以减少延误。

Self-employed, contractor, bonus, or variable income can still be assessed, but lenders may need extra evidence.

自雇、合同工、奖金或浮动收入仍可能评估，但贷款机构通常需要更多证明。

Sometimes yes. The structure matters: gift, loan, guarantee, or co-borrower treatment can affect approval.

有时可以。关键是结构：赠与、借款、担保或共同借款都会影响审批。