Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, mostly because no one hands you the order of operations. This free checklist does exactly that. It breaks the journey into plain, tickable steps, from sorting your deposit and KiwiSaver to getting pre-approved, doing your checks, and finally settling into the place you have chosen. Working through it turns a vague, anxious goal into a calm sequence you can actually follow, and it helps you see where you are today and what comes next. It is a general guide, not personalised financial advice, so use it to get organised and then confirm your own numbers with the right licensed people.
What this tool does
The checklist gathers the key first-home steps into one simple list you can read, download and tick off as you go. It covers the money side (your deposit, KiwiSaver, and whether you might be eligible for first-home support), getting a pre-approval so you know your budget, the searching and checking stage (LIM, building report, the questions to ask), and the offer-and-settlement steps that finish the purchase. The goal is not to do the regulated work for you but to make sure nothing important slips through the cracks and you always know your next move. Maifang is an independent information service, not a licensed agency or a lender, so think of the checklist as your map; the licensed professionals (a mortgage adviser, an agent, a lawyer) are the people who do the actual work alongside you.
How to use it
Work through it roughly in order, ticking each item once it is genuinely sorted. Start with your deposit: see how much you have saved and check whether a KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal could boost it, and whether you might qualify for the First Home Loan or First Home Grant through Kāinga Ora, which have their own eligibility rules around income, price caps and contributions. Next, get a pre-approval from a lender or through a licensed mortgage adviser, so you know your realistic price range and can act quickly when the right home appears. Then move into searching and checking: line up a lawyer early, learn what a LIM and a building report tell you, and decide your must-haves for a home you can settle into. Finally, the offer steps: making a conditional offer, completing your due diligence, going unconditional, and settling. Tick items off as you complete them, and revisit the list whenever you feel unsure of where you are.
How to read the result
A completed checklist tells you that you have covered the main bases, but it is a readiness guide, not an approval or a guarantee. The items about money, especially how much you can borrow and which first-home schemes you qualify for, depend entirely on your personal circumstances and on the lender's and Kāinga Ora's current criteria, so the checklist points you to confirm them rather than telling you the answer. Likewise, ticking the checks box means you know to order a LIM and a building report; it does not replace reading them with your lawyer. Use the list to feel organised and confident about the sequence, then rely on the licensed professionals to verify the specifics for your situation. Being ready on paper is a great place to start, and it makes every conversation with an adviser or agent more productive.
Indicative only — what to confirm with a professional
This checklist is general information only and is not financial, legal or tax advice. The figures and eligibility rules change and depend on your circumstances, so confirm them with the right people: a licensed mortgage adviser or your lender for how much you can borrow and your pre-approval, Kāinga Ora for First Home Loan and First Home Grant eligibility and current price caps, your KiwiSaver provider for a first-home withdrawal, a lawyer for the sale and purchase agreement and your title, and a licensed agent for the local market and your offer strategy. Maifang connects you with these professionals; it does not approve loans, hold funds or act as an agency. Use the checklist to get ready and ask better questions, not as a substitute for advice tailored to you.
Your next step
If you have worked through the checklist, you are far closer to your first home than the process first made it feel. To go deeper on the money side, our guides to using KiwiSaver for your first-home deposit and to First Home Loan eligibility explain those schemes in plain English, and our buyers' hub walks through the whole journey. When you are ready to turn the plan into action, we can match you for free and with no obligation with a licensed mortgage adviser to confirm your budget and a buyer-side agent to help you find the right place. One step at a time, that is how a first home stops being a someday and becomes a set of keys in your hand.
Thank you — your request is in
In plain English: In plain English: this free checklist lays out the first-home steps in order, from deposit and KiwiSaver to pre-approval, the LIM and building checks, and the offer and settlement. It gets you organised and confident, but it is a guide, not an approval, so confirm your borrowing and scheme eligibility with a licensed mortgage adviser, your lender and Kāinga Ora, and read your LIM and reports with a lawyer.
General information, not personalised real-estate, legal or financial advice. Confirm your situation with a licensed adviser. Read the full disclaimer →