FHBC | Home Buyer's Readiness Quiz — Full FH Home Buyer's Readiness Quiz For NZ first-home buyers — estimate how close you are to buying and what to do next. 1) How close are you to a deposit? I haven't started saving yet or have < 5% of target price. I have some savings (about 5–10%) and am contributing regularly. I have 10–20%+ saved or confirmed gifted funds. Tip: Many banks prefer 20%, but options exist from 5–10% via Kāinga Ora First Home Loan (criteria apply). 2) Do you know your borrowing capacity? Not yet — I haven't checked. I've used a calculator but not spoken to an adviser/bank. I've spoken to an adviser/bank and/or have a current pre-approval. 3) KiwiSaver & Kāinga Ora First Home Loan I'm not sure what's available. I've looked into KiwiSaver withdrawals and/or First Home Loan but haven't applied. I've checked eligibility and started/finished applications. Note: Eligibility and price caps apply for Kāinga Ora First Home Loan. Check current criteria before applying. 4) How stable is your income? Irregular or new role (< 6 months), contracting with limited history. Reasonably stable (6–24 months with current income). Stable (2+ years in role/industry or strong contracting history). 5) Budgeting and spending I don't track my spending. I have a rough budget but don't always stick to it. I have a clear budget and stick to it (with evidence from statements). 6) Other debts (credit cards, Afterpay, personal/car loans) Multiple/high repayments or near credit limits. Some debts but manageable; making steady progress. No debts or low/paid-down balances. 7) Credit history I have unpaid defaults/collections or late payments recently. Historic issues resolved; credit is improving. Clean credit history. 8) Market research I've done very little research. I follow listings and sales occasionally. I actively track prices and attend open homes. 9) Property plan I'm unsure what/where I'd buy. I have a short list of suburbs and property types. I have a clear target: type, location, and price range. 10) Professional support lined up Not yet spoken to anyone. I've made initial enquiries. I have a mortgage adviser and lawyer ready to go. 11) Documentation readiness I will need to find/prepare ID, payslips, bank statements. I can pull most documents within a week. I have everything handy and up to date. 12) Safety buffer for ownership costs No emergency fund or very small (< 1 month expenses). Some buffer (1–2 months of expenses). Strong buffer (3+ months of expenses). Previous Next Reset Save Copy summary See my readiness
