Embarking on the journey of homeownership is an exciting yet somewhat nerve-wracking experience, and for many, the first meeting with a mortgage advisor marks the first step in taking this journey. Below, we'll show you what to expect from your initial meeting with your Better Choice mortgage advisor, and shed light on the steps we take to ensure a seamless and stress-free process for first-time homebuyers.
Upon reaching out to us, we'll introduce ourselves and provide you with a form to complete at your convenience. This form serves as a comprehensive snapshot of your current financial situation, and includes income and expenses. It’s a good idea to give us as much information as you can, especially around any debt owing as we can help you to manage this too. Next up, we will have our first in person meeting - this can either be done in your home or at our office at a time that suits you. If meeting in person isn’t an option, then we can also have a chat over Zoom.
During our meeting, we will delve into your short-term and long-term homeownership goals, go over your income, expenses, debts and savings, and discuss what sort of property you are after. We will also discuss how we are paid, and can answer any questions you might have.
Using the information provided we can also start to get an idea of how much you might be able to borrow and what house price brackets you may be able to search for. Although this isn't a formal pre-approval, it provides a preliminary understanding of the amount a bank is likely to approve. Additionally, we will go over KiwiSaver and other Government grants and see if any of these are applicable to you.
To progress towards a formal pre-approval or home loan application, we need certain supporting documents. The specifics may vary based on the source of your income, but generally include:
Valid ID (Passport/Driver's License)
Last 3 pay slips for employed income
Last year's financial statements and the past 2 years' tax returns for self-employed income
Last 3 months' bank statements for checking and savings accounts
Last 3 months' credit card statements
Copy of your first home withdrawal eligibility letter from your Kiwisaver provider
If you are wanting to move along as quickly as possible, it’s a good idea to gather these documents before you meet with us. Alternatively, you can collect the required information after our meeting and send it to us and we will get your pre-approval underway. Our objective is to make this journey as smooth and stress-free as possible, guiding you step by step towards the home of your dreams.
Let's get you pre-approved! Contact your local mortgage advisors at Better Choice today and let’s get you one step closer to your home ownership goals.
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