How much can I borrow?
A rough number to hold in your head while you think. Move the sliders — the answer changes as you go.
Yours, plus a partner's if you'd buy together. Before tax.
Cash, KiwiSaver you can withdraw, or a gift you'll have at settlement.
Banks often lend more to first-home buyers — up to 90% of the property price, sometimes higher.
A bank approval
Each lender applies its own servicing test against a stressed interest rate. Your actual approval is usually lower than the regulatory ceiling.
A view on your debts
Existing repayments — credit cards, car loans, BNPL, student loans — reduce what you can borrow. We've kept this simple and left them out.
Aware of LEM
Above 80% loan-to-value, banks typically charge a low-equity premium or margin. Your broker explains when it applies and how to navigate it.
Financial advice
It's a starting point for a conversation, not a recommendation. The right next step is talking to a broker who knows your situation.
Three levers, one conversation.
Most of the time, when someone wants to borrow more, the answer isn't a different bank — it's a different version of these three. A broker knows which one is yours.
More deposit
Every dollar saved unlocks more headroom — especially under 20% deposit, where bank policy and pricing both shift.
Less debt
Closing a credit card, paying down a car loan, or refinancing student debt directly increases what banks will lend.
Combined income
Buying with a partner, a parent on the title, or counting bonus and overtime properly can change the picture meaningfully.
The right lender
Banks have different appetites at any given moment. A broker compares them so you don't have to.
Is this what a bank will actually lend me?
No — it's a starting estimate at the regulatory ceiling. Each bank applies its own servicing tests, looks at your debts, expenses, and credit history, and lands somewhere of its own. Your real approval is usually lower than the headline ceiling. A broker compares lenders and finds the one likely to say yes for the most.
Can first-home buyers really borrow with only a 10% deposit?
Often, yes. Banks reserve a portion of their lending for borrowers above the standard 80% loan-to-value cap, and first-home buyers are first in line. Schemes like Kāinga Ora's First Home Loan can take it further. A broker knows which lenders are actively chasing first-home buyer lending right now — it changes month to month.
What's a debt-to-income (DTI) cap?
Since July 2024, most New Zealand banks have to keep the bulk of owner-occupier lending at or below six times the borrower's gross income. So if you earn $100,000, the regulatory ceiling is around $600,000. Banks can lend above it for a slice of new business, but six times income is the headline number this calculator uses.
Will using this calculator hurt my credit score?
No. Nothing happens. We don't ask for your name, your email, or anything that identifies you. The numbers stay in your browser. Type, look, close the tab — that's it.