Resources

Navigating the process for financial lending can be confusing. We’re here to help, educate and empower you on this journey.

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TIPS AND GUIDES

When it comes to loans and mortgages there can be a lot of jargon. We explain common terms for you.
Is your home up to scratch or do you need to do some work? We can assist with a ‘top-up’ mortgage.

Understand the real value a mortgage adviser/broker provides. You might be surprised.

Discover the types of interest rates and what impact they have on your lending.
Check out the median house price for your location, and what this actually means.
Explore different scenarios like the cost of the mortgage, loan repayments and term lengths.
First Home Grant to help with deposit. Check eligibility.

Key Contact Details

In the most part, no, there is no cost to use Rapson Loans & Finance. We can assist you with securing a loan or a mortgage. You provide the information, and we do all the work for you. The lenders pay our commission.

There are very few cases, where the process is more complex, and a non-standard loan is required; in these circumstances a fee may be charged. We’re upfront about this and you will be told of this in advance, so you can choose whether you wish to proceed. 

We’re independent mortgage brokers, with no affiliation to any particular bank, real estate or group. This means there is no ‘product flogging’. We take the time to understand you and your unique situation and recommend a solution that is BEST for you, no one else. We use a wide variety of lenders and we have the ability to negotiate the best deal for you: be it interest rates, cash contributions, or re-submission of a loan deal that may have been declined.

We provide more than a mortgage. All our services are underpinned by our sound financial planning and advice – your financial wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. Plus, we operate 7 days a week and will meet with you at a time and location that’s convenient for you.

We make it easy for you to complete an application. You provide us the information and we do the work! With us, you only need to complete one application form which can be used by all banks; you don’t need to go to each bank separately and fill out their application form.

Plus, we have over 50 years’ experience in the banking and finance industries, so we know what banks are looking for. And because the lenders pay our commission, 99% of our mortgage deals are paid for by the banks, which means you don’t pay anything for our service. If there are any costs associated with a non-standard loan we will always be upfront about this, enabling you to decide if you wish to take the matter further.

Yes, of course. Given we are independent, we have greater flexibility. We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different; some people are busy at work during the day (or night), others are at home with young families; so we can meet you whenever, wherever, you like. We want to take any pain points away, so we will make ourselves available when you need us.

Given we are independent, we have no affiliation with any one bank, or any one lender. We can secure funding from all the major New Zealand and Australian owned banks and also funding from trusted non-bank lenders. The beauty of this, is you have more options available to you, all from one place.

The level of deposit required is effected by decisions made by the Reserve Bank and lenders, therefore, can change. While the ‘ideal’ deposit for any purchase is 20%, typically in the current market the minimum required is 10% for an existing property and 5% for a Turn Key Build. 

We have helped customers buy existing homes with less than 10% deposit, but a number of things are needed for this to happen, including significant income levels.

We pride ourselves on providing the best solutions for you, so please contact us so we can help you work through this and calculate the maximum purchase price you could go to, with the required deposit levels.

The short answer is YES, you can use your KiwiSaver Account for deposit or part deposit on your first home, provided you met the eligibility criteria. 

You can do this two ways; by either withdrawing some of your savings from your KiwiSaver Account or applying for the First Home Grant.

Withdrawal from KiwiSaver – there’s a few things you need to know. The eligibility criteria for withdrawal is:

– You need to have been in KiwiSaver for at least three years.
– You can’t have made a withdrawal from KiwiSaver to buy a home or land before.
– You have to be a first-time buyer, intending to live in the home or land you buy.
– The home or land needs to be in New Zealand.
– If you’ve previously owned a house, there are some circumstances where you might be able to make a KiwiSaver withdrawal to go towards a house purchase. You’ll need to contact Kāinga Ora, who will determine if you’re in the same financial position as a first-time buyer.
– If you’re planning on buying a house with a partner, if eligible you can both apply for a first home withdrawal.

Please note: you have to leave $1000 in your KiwiSaver account and any money that has been transferred into your KiwiSaver Account form a complying Australian Superannuation scheme cannot be used.

KiwiSaver First Home Grant
If you’re been making regular KiwiSaver contributions for at least three years, you may also be eligible for a First Home Grant – previously called KiwiSaver HomeStart Grant. This is paid by the government and administered by Kāinga Ora.

Second Chance Home Buyer KiwiSaver Withdrawal
If you’ve owned property before, you may qualify for a second chance home buyer withdrawal. You many also qualify for the HomeStart Grant. To check eligibility and find out more go to Kāinga Ora.

If you would like to learn more about how you could use KiwiSaver to help with your deposit, please contact one of our friendly team.

We recommend that you have home and contents insurance and life insurance when you purchase a home. Many lenders, stimulate that you need these insurances as part of the approval process for your loan.

Find out more about insurances and how we can support you.

Absolutely! In fact, a number of our clients do just that. There’s a number of reasons you might choose to move lenders. We have a simple process and take care of all the negotiatons/refinance requirements allowing you to maintain your daily life without having to justify your reason for requesting the change.

See here for more details on moving your mortgage.

Have more questions?

Learn more about the services we offer and how we can assist you to achieve your financial goals.