1 What this means
Ordinary mortgages need the land as security, which is difficult on multiply-owned Māori land. Kāinga Whenua is designed for that situation, with its own tenure and house requirements. Kiwibank assesses affordability.
2 What still needs checking
- Multiply-owned Māori land and a primary home
- A qualifying licence or lease and the Kāinga Whenua Agreement — an occupation order is not accepted as scheme tenure
- House conditions, such as a removable, single-storey house on piles, at least 50 m², on the mainland with road access
- Deposit: published settings (checked 7 November 2026) were no deposit up to $200,000 and at least 5% of borrowing above that, plus a 0.5% insurance fee
3 What you can do next
Confirm current settings with Kāinga Ora and Kiwibank, then explore a scenario with the Kāinga Whenua calculator.
Official sources
Last reviewed 13 November 2026. General guidance only — not legal, financial or building advice. Court, lending and building decisions remain with the relevant decision makers.
