If you've been a KiwiSaver member for at least three years, you may be able to withdraw your savings towards your first home. You can take out everything except $1,000, including your own and your employer's contributions, government contributions and investment returns.
The home must be in New Zealand and one you'll live in, not an investment property. You generally can't have owned a home or land before, though Kāinga Ora can treat a previous owner as being in the same position as a first home buyer. You can only make a first-home withdrawal once.
Timing matters. You apply to your KiwiSaver provider once you have a signed sale and purchase agreement, and the money is paid to your lawyer's trust account. Providers commonly need 10 to 15 working days, so plan for it before you agree to a deposit or settlement date.
Your withdrawal counts towards your deposit, so an adviser can include it when working out how much you can borrow and what price range to look at.