What we do

Whatever the
property goal.

30+
Lenders on panel
Free
In most circumstances
Same day
Response, always

First home, next home, an investment, a rebuild, or just the nagging sense that your current lending could be doing more for you. One conversation, a panel of 30+ lenders, and a straight answer about what is actually possible.

The short answer

What can a mortgage adviser help you with in New Zealand?

A mortgage adviser can help with any lending secured against property: buying a first home, refinancing an existing loan to a better rate or structure, investment property lending, self-employed applications where income is documented through financial statements, construction and development finance with progressive drawdowns, debt consolidation, and applications where credit history has caused a decline elsewhere. The adviser assesses your position, identifies which lenders’ criteria you meet, prepares the application, and manages it to settlement. In most cases the adviser is paid by the lender on settlement rather than by you.

Services

Every kind of lending we handle

First Home Buyers

Borrowing capacity, KiwiSaver withdrawal, Kāinga Ora support, the deposit gap, and the whole process from first conversation to keys. The area where good guidance changes the outcome most.

Property Investment

Structured differently to owner-occupied lending: rental income shading, LVR and DTI treatment, interest deductibility and portfolio structuring across multiple properties.

Refinancing

Fixed rate rolling off, or a suspicion you are on the wrong deal. A full review of rate, structure and lender, including whether moving is worth the break cost.

Self-Employed

Financial statements instead of payslips. Knowing which lenders average two years, which will use one, and which add-backs each will accept.

Debt Consolidation

Rolling short-term debt into your mortgage — done properly, on a term that saves you money rather than quietly costing more over twenty-five years.

Low Deposit Lending

LVR speed limits, new build exemptions, low equity margins and Kāinga Ora products. The fastest-changing part of the market.

Construction Lending

Progressive drawdowns, fixed-price contracts, council consents and valuations on completion. An engineering background genuinely helps here.

Development Finance

Multi-unit and small development funding — feasibility, presales, equity contribution and lender appetite. Start with our free pre-qualification tool.

Bad Credit Options

Defaults, arrears or a thin file. Non-bank lenders assess the full picture rather than a score, and a decline elsewhere is not the end of it.

Shared Home Ownership

Buying a share now and the rest later — with Kāinga Ora, a commercial provider, or family.

Loan Restructuring

Already have a mortgage and want it working harder. Splitting, fixing, offsetting and repayment structuring to shorten the term without straining cash flow.

Migrants & Returning Kiwis

Non-resident and recently-arrived applications, overseas income, limited NZ credit history. A situation Yatin has been through personally.

How it works

What working with Mortgage Sense actually looks like

1. A free conversation. Twenty minutes, no obligation, no documents required. You describe the situation, we tell you honestly whether it is workable and what it would take. If the answer is that you should wait six months, that is what you will hear.

2. The full picture. If it makes sense to proceed, we gather income, debts, expenses and your goals — then compare your position against the criteria of a panel of 30+ lenders including the main banks, non-banks and specialist financiers.

3. A recommendation, in plain English. You get the options, why one is recommended over the others, and what the trade-offs are. Not a rate sheet.

4. We do the application. Preparation, submission, lender liaison and chasing. You are updated at each step and you do not have to be the one following it up.

5. Still here afterwards. Settlement is the start of the relationship, not the end. We review your structure at each rate rollover and when your circumstances change.

Common questions

Questions people actually ask

What does a mortgage adviser actually do?

An adviser assesses your situation, works out which lenders’ criteria you fit, prepares and presents the application, negotiates on your behalf, and manages the process through to settlement. Afterwards, they review your structure at each rate rollover. The value is largely in knowing lender policy — which lender will treat your particular circumstances favourably — which is not information available from any single bank.

How much does it cost to use Mortgage Sense?

In most cases nothing. Our fee is paid by the lender on settlement, so there is usually no cost to you. Where a fee would apply, it is disclosed in writing before any work begins. The initial consultation is always free and carries no obligation.

Is an adviser better than going straight to my own bank?

Your bank can only offer you its own products, assessed against its own criteria. If you fit those criteria well, your bank may be an excellent option, and we will tell you so. If you do not, a bank has no ability to point you somewhere that suits you better — and that is the gap an adviser fills.

Do you only work with people in Auckland?

No. Mortgage Sense is based in Hobsonville, Auckland, and works with clients throughout New Zealand. Most of the process runs remotely, by phone, email and video, and in-person meetings are available for Auckland clients.

How long does a mortgage application take?

A straightforward pre-approval is often turned around within a few working days once the lender has a complete file. More complex applications — self-employed, construction, non-bank — take longer. The largest single variable is how complete the documentation is when it goes in, which is the part we control.

What if my situation is complicated?

That is generally when it is most worth talking to us. Self-employment, credit issues, construction lending, trusts, recent arrivals to New Zealand and complex income structures are all normal work here rather than exceptions.

Related

Keep reading

About Yatin

Who you would actually be working with, and why Mortgage Sense exists.

Free calculators

Repayments, borrowing power and deposit — before you talk to anyone.

Learning Hub

Guides on deposits, rates, credit and refinancing, written for New Zealand borrowers.

Let’s talk

Not sure which of these you need?

That is completely normal, and it is the easiest thing to sort out in one conversation. Tell us where you are up to and we will point you at the right starting line.

7/3 Workspace Drive, Hobsonville, Auckland 0618
yatin@mortgagemanagers.co.nz
DDI: 09 886 3457