What Is The Kiwisaver HomeStart Grant?

After three years of continuous contributions to Kiwisaver, you may be eligible for some additional help from the government towards a house deposit this is called the HomeStart grant. Check out how much you can potentially get!

Already built home.

If you are purchasing an existing/older home, the HomeStart grant is $1000 for each your you have contributed with a minimum of 3 years of contribution to qualify.

• 3 years of contributing = $3,000 (the minimum you can get)
• 4 years of contributing = $4,000
• 5 years of contributing = $5,000 (the maximum you can get)

Brand new home

If you are purchasing a new home, a property bought off the plans or land to build a new home on, the HomeStart grant is $2,000 for each year of contribution to the scheme.

• 3 years of contributing = $6,000
• 4 years of contributing = $8,000
• 5 years of contributing = $10,000 (the maximum you can get)

You can combine with other people but you will only ever get a maximum combined amount of $10,000 towards an existing home or $20,000 towards a newly built home.

To get this you also need to earn less than $85,000 as a single borrower or a combined income of $130,000 or less for two or more borrowers.

The HomeStart grant has price caps depending on which area of New Zealand you would like to buy in. Check out the table below:

Source: https://www.hnzc.co.nz/ways-we-can-help-you-to-own-a-home/kiwisaver-homestart-grant/

Common Questions:

What is the difference between Kiwisaver first home withdrawal and the HomeStart grant?

The difference is a Kiwisaver first home withdrawal is made up of your personal Kiwisaver funds whereas the HomeStart Grant is free money from Housing New Zealand to help you reach the deposit requirements of lending institutions.

— Your personal Kiwi saver is A combination of your personal contributions, your employer contributions and the government contributions. There are no restrictions as to when you can get this out. Just that it is for your first home.

— The home start grant is a government initiative to help people get into their first home. However, you must meet all the criteria to qualify for it.

Tip: If you qualify for the HomeStart grant you may also qualify for a welcome home loan which can make getting into your first property a lot easier. With a Welcome Home Loan you only need a 10 percent deposit, not a 20 percent deposit as required by most lenders. Have a chat with us if you would like to know more about Welcome Home Loans.

If you would like to apply for the HomeStart grant you can apply here: https://hera.power-business.co.nz/hnz/HomeStart.nsf

Tanta Financial Advisers – Mortgage, Insurance & Kiwisaver Advice on Auckland’s Northshore