Your first home needs to fit both your budget and the way you want to live. Start with a clear picture of what you can comfortably spend, then compare homes with the same priorities in mind. A tidy apartment, a unit and a house needing work can involve very different ownership commitments.
Talk to your lender or mortgage adviser before narrowing the search. Allow for legal advice, property checks, moving, insurance, rates and maintenance as well as repayments. Keep a buffer for the first months of ownership. A pre-approval can help set your search range, but ask which conditions still need to be met for the particular property.
Eligible buyers may be able to use a KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal. Apply through your scheme provider and check the documents and processing time before relying on the money for a deposit. Kāinga Ora also supports First Home Loans through participating lenders, with a deposit as low as 5% for eligible borrowers. Eligibility and the lender’s assessment still apply; the two options serve different purposes.
Write down the things you cannot readily change: location, legal ownership, layout, access and the size of the site. Then list the things you could improve later. Test your daily journey from the address, visit at different times and think about storage, parking and working from home. In Devonport, compare village convenience and coastal appeal with the upkeep and practical layout of the individual home.
A fresh coat of paint is a different proposition from a roof, drainage or consent issue. Budget for professional checks rather than using a viewing as a substitute for them. Our open-home checklist helps organise the first visit.
Choose a lawyer early and ask what they need to review. Establish the sale method, important dates and any conditions you need before signing or bidding. Read our buying guide for the wider process and auction preparation guide if the home is being auctioned. Settled’s independent first-home resources provide further guidance.
Browse current homes and speak with the listing salesperson about a property that interests you. For an introduction, call Ray White Devonport on 09 445 9777 or visit 43 Victoria Road.