If you’re a first home buyer, the last few years have been confusing. Prices soared, then fell, then more or less flattened out. Commentators argue over whether it’s a crash, a correction or just a pause.
Quietly in the background, something interesting has happened: first home buyers have grabbed a record share of purchases. In late 2025 they made up about 28% of all transactions nationwide, with even higher shares in places like wider Wellington.
From our experience working with first home buyers, here’s why this environment can actually help you:
- More choice, less pressure. Stock on the market is still high compared with the boom years. You’re less likely to be bidding against 20 other buyers at each open home.-
- Better alignment with incomes. Prices are off their peaks, and mortgage rates have eased from their highs, improving overall affordability for many households.
- Banks actively want good FHB clients. LVR rules have been loosened slightly, and lenders can write more low-deposit loans to owner-occupiers than a couple of years ago.
The flip side is that it usually takes longer now to save a deposit, and the removal of the First Home Grant has taken away one source of help. That’s where strategy matters: using KiwiSaver effectively, looking at First Home Loan options, and considering family support in a structured, documented way.
As brokers, our job is to turn a fuzzy “one day we’d like to buy” idea into a clear, step-by-step plan with real numbers and realistic timeframes.
