There’s no better feeling than getting the keys to your very first home - being able to stamp your own mark and fulfil your dreams for the future. SBS Bank is a First Home Loan lender. The First Home Loan, supported by Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities is an initiative to make access to home ownership even easier for everyday New Zealanders. We also have some great home loan options for our standard residential lending if you don't qualify for the Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities assistance so give the team a call and we can start talking about getting you into your first home! For more general background information on how residential home loans work, please visit our residential lending page by clicking here.

First Home Loan features

  • You can borrow up to 95% of property value – that means a deposit of only 5%.
  • To be eligible you must have maximum total income of:
    • $95,000 for individuals without dependents,
    • $150,000 for individuals with dependents, or
    • $150,000 for joint borrowers (two or more).
  • This type of loan is for owner-occupied homes only.
  • This needs to be the only property you own.
  • This type of loan does not offer a revolving credit facility, overdraft or interest only options.
  • 0.50% FHL Premium Fee Applies.
  • House price caps no longer apply to First Home Loans

 

Calculators

 

You will need to make sure you meet our First Home Loan lending and eligibility criteria. Lending Standard Contract Terms  and Credit Fees and Charges apply to First Home Loans too and are also available on request and free of charge from any branch of SBS Bank. 

To view our rates page please click here and for more information on the Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities First Home Loan please visit the Kāinga Ora website by clicking here.

SBS Bank Can Help

We're committed to getting kiwis into their first homes even faster (in fact, we've been doing it for the past 150 years!) Click here to view more information on the SBS Bank First Home Combo Offer.

First Home Grant

Need some help getting a deposit together? If you're a first-time home buyer, or a previous home owner and you've been making regular KiwiSaver contributions for at least three years, you may be eligible for a First Home Grant of up to $10,000 through Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities.

  • You can apply for either:
    A pre-approval before you start looking for a property to buy – this gives you certainty around eligibility and how much you may qualify for or;
  • a grant approval if you've found a property and have a signed sale and purchase agreement.

If you buy an existing home

If you buy an existing home, you can get $1,000 for each of the three (or more) years you've paid into the scheme. The most you can get is $5,000 for five or more years.

If you buy a new home or land

If you buy a new home or land to build on, you can get $2,000 for each of the three (or more) years you've paid into the scheme. The most you can get is $10,000 for five or more years.

 

 

 

 

Important Information

For our current interest rates for First Home Loans please click here.

First Home Loan lending and eligibility criteria apply. Standard Contract Terms and additional credit fees and charges also apply and are available on request and free of charge by clicking the above links, from any branch of SBS Bank, or by calling us on 0800 727 2265. 

The information on this page does not take into account your individual circumstances and is not personalised financial advice. You should seek financial advice before you make any decision to open an account.