Second Mortgage Home Loans in New Zealand

Mortgage Advice with Platinum Mortgages

What is a second mortgage and how does it work?

A second mortgage is a loan secured against a property you already own that still has an existing mortgage. Instead of replacing the original mortgage, the second mortgage sits behind the first loan and allows you to access some of the equity built up in the property.

In New Zealand, second mortgages are sometimes used when borrowers need additional funds but want to keep their existing home loan in place. This can provide access to capital without refinancing the entire mortgage.

Homeowners may use a second mortgage for purposes such as consolidating debt, funding renovations, or covering major life expenses. Accessing equity through a second mortgage can also help improve cash flow or fund opportunities without disturbing the structure of the first mortgage.

Applying funds from your 2nd mortgage to make home improvements is likely to increase your home’s value and therefore its equity as well.

This loan can also be a useful source of finance if you plan to start a small business. Alternatively you may want to buy more income properties, or need to fund a degree that will allow you to increase your professional market value.

A second loan can also allow you to consolidate and pay off your debt at a much lower interest rate.

Can You Get a Second Mortgage with Bad Credit?

It can be challenging to find a mainstream bank that will offer you a second loan on your property if you want to take out an additional mortgage but have bad credit.

The team of Financial Advisers / Mortgage Brokers here at Platinum Mortgages is dedicated to helping you with your search for the best second mortgage for your circumstances. That means that you won’t have to spend hours trying to perform painstaking research or trawling through complicated financial terminology. The team at Platinum Mortgages will do all the homework for you and take every effort to ensure a positive customer experience, so all you’ll need to do is sign on the dotted line.

Why Work With Platinum Mortgages for a Second Mortgage

Even without a perfect credit score, securing a second mortgage is often possible. With the help of the expert team here at Platinum Mortgages, your application will have a much higher chance of success.

We evaluate every individual on their own merit. This allows us to understand exactly what your needs are and get you a deal that fits your requirements. We know that every situation is unique and adjust our personalised approach accordingly.

We’re focused on setting you up with a mortgage that you will be able to afford for its lifetime – not just the coming months. Our team of Mortgage Brokers here at Platinum Mortgages will make sure you obtain the best interest rate for your circumstances. We’ll sort through a wide range of options and choose the one that works best for you.

When a Non Bank Second Mortgage May Be the Right Option

The team at Platinum Mortgages has extensive experience helping Kiwis find the right solutions for their mortgage needs. While many people might assume that the only way they can get a mortgage is to go with a large bank, there are actually far more options available.

These include turning to reliable non bank lending options, where specialist lenders assess borrowers whose situations fall outside traditional bank lending criteria.. Every borrower has a different financial situation, and sometimes your best choice for an additional mortgage might be a specialist, smaller lender. This could be the case if you have a bad credit score or have already been rejected by a larger bank. We can help find a lender most willing to work with borrowers in your circumstances and frame your application to boost its chances of success.

The Mortgage Advisers at Platinum Mortgages will always put your best interests first. We’ll work closely with you to find the best loan for your needs, which includes letting you know when a second mortgage is the best solution.

Our team is always on hand to discuss your home loan needs, no matter what your credit score might be. To learn more or schedule a meeting to talk about your financial circumstances, contact our team today.

When a Second Mortgage May be the Right Solution

As New Zealand’s property market continues to heat up and house prices continue to soar, getting a mortgage can feel increasingly out of reach – unless you have a big deposit or equity in another property.

If your bank has turned down your application for additional funds on your existing home loan, a second mortgage can be a cost effective and flexible financial backup option. If your bank has declined additional lending, you can read more about your options on our  Bank Said No page, which explains the pathways borrowers in New Zealand may still have available.

The team at Platinum Mortgages can help you get the home loan you need without the pressure of dealing with the bank, especially if the lender holding your first mortgage is unable or unwilling to help you get the additional financial help you need.

A second mortgage is generally used for a short period, between a few months to a few years, to provide additional funding to fix a minor problem. It allows you to retain lending at more competitive rates rather than forcing you to refinance your entire first mortgage.

What Can I Use A Second Mortgage For?

Before deciding how to use a second mortgage, it is important to understand how these loans work and why lenders price them differently.

The fees and interest rates on a second mortgage are usually higher than the fees and interest rates on a first mortgage. This is because a second mortgage lender takes a greater risk than the primary mortgage holder.

Why is this the case? If you default on your mortgages and your property is put up for sale to recover the losses, the first lender gets repaid first. That means the second lender has to wait until the first mortgage has been fully repaid before they can get any of their money back. For this reason, if the sale of the property is not enough to cover both loans, the second lender is likely to come off worse.

These higher fees and interest rates mean that you’ll have to pay more money back over the life of the loan. That’s why it’s essential to consider how you’d use this new cash and how quickly you might be able to repay the loan.

There are multiple potential purposes for which you might be able to use this new capital. This includes:

Temporary Loss of Second Income

If your household has unexpectedly lost an additional income, but you’re on track to re-establishing a second career, a second mortgage can help you tread water and keep you out of accumulating further debt. You can use the loan to pay arrears on your primary mortgage, any overdue debts and taxes, allowing you to avoid unnecessary fees and penalties.

Starting A Business

Taking out an additional mortgage loan to finance your business can be much faster and easier than trying to get that money elsewhere. By using an additional loan to finance the cost of setting up a business, you won’t have to sacrifice shares of your company to obtain funding for it. This means that all your profits will either stay in your pocket or can be channelled back into your company.

How Much Equity Do You Need for a Second Mortgage?

How much equity you need for a second mortgage depends on the lender, the value of your property, and your overall financial position. In most cases, lenders want to see that sufficient equity remains in the property after a new loan is added.

In New Zealand, many lenders prefer the combined borrowing against the property, the first mortgage plus the second mortgage, to remain roughly within 70-80% of the property's value. Therefore, borrowers typically need at least 20-30% equity available before a second mortgage can be approved.

Lenders will also consider other factors such as your income, existing debts, and recent credit history when assessing how much you may be able to borrow.

A mortgage adviser can review your overall financial position and help determine whether accessing equity through a second mortgage is the right option for your specific circumstances.

Second Mortgage versus Refinancing

When homeowners need to access additional funds, the two most common options are refinancing the existing mortgage or taking a second mortgage. The right approach depends on the borrower’s circumstances and the structure of their current home loan.

Refinancing replaces your current mortgage with a new loan, often with a different lender. This can allow you to borrow additional funds but may involve breaking your existing mortgage, which can trigger break fees or require a full reassessment by the bank.

A second mortgage, on the other hand, allows you to access additional funds while keeping your original mortgage in place. This can be useful when the existing lender will not increase the loan, when breaking the current mortgage would be costly, or when a borrower needs a shorter-term funding solution.

A mortgage adviser can help assess both options and determine which structure best suits your financial situation.

New Zealand Lending rules and Deposit Requirements

Regulations and lending standards in New Zealand govern home loans to protect our economy’s long-term health.

These lending rules also influence how much equity borrowers must retain in their property when applying for additional lending, including second mortgages. Lenders typically want to ensure that sufficient equity remains in the property after the new loan is added.

In many cases, borrowers who have built up equity in their home may be able to access funds through a second mortgage without needing to refinance their existing home loan.

Here at Platinum Mortgages, our team of experienced mortgage advisers has access to an extensive range of both bank and non bank second mortgage lenders New Zealand-wide. We can review your situation and advise you on the best option for your circumstances and can even let you know whether there could be an alternative financing option that might be more appropriate for your needs. To discuss your options, get in touch with us today at 0800 536 346.