10/08/2026
I saw this post today from One Roof and I’m not even a little bit surprised. If I had to guess, I would say 80% of first home buyers I deal with have less than a 20% deposit. So many people assume they need a huge amount of savings or a 20% deposit before it’s even worth talking to someone.
My message has always been strong, you don’t know until you try!
I regularly help first home buyers explore options with less than a 20% deposit, and sometimes as little as 5%.
Having a smaller deposit can mean stricter lending criteria, so it’s not going to work for everyone — but don’t rule yourself out before you actually know your options.
You might be closer to buying your first home than you think
PropertyNZ