Top 10 mortgage brokers in New Zealand

Opes Mortgages

Before we get into the list of top mortgage brokers. Here at Opes, we have our mortgage brokers. They’re called Opes Mortgages.

I’m not including them in this list, even though I own the company!

Because if I say Opes Mortgages are “the best” mortgage brokers in NZ, you’ll think I’m biased (even though I think they’re pretty great).

So, I won’t point to a specific mortgage adviser in the team like I will for the rest of the list. But, if you’re a property investor buying a New Build, Opes Mortgages may be the right fit for you.

More from Opes

• Top 5 Auckland mortgage brokers (Article)
• Opes Mortgages vs other mortgage brokers (Article)
• Do I really need a mortgage broker? The answer may be no (Podcast)

John Bolton – Squirrel (Auckland)

Squirrel is predominantly based in Auckland. They’ve got about 39 mortgage brokers on staff … and I do mean “on staff”.

That’s because, historically, Squirrel was one of the only firms where its mortgage brokers get paid a salary.

In some other companies, mortgage brokers only get paid on commission.

CEO John Bolton feels mortgage brokers offer better impartial advice this way.

If you want a larger company but are worried about impartiality of advice, Squirrel may be the right fit for you.

It's also worth mentioning that Squirrel’s team speaks a range of languages. They have 4 Mandarin and 3 Hindi speakers.

They also have team members who speak Afrikaans, Cantonese and (of course) English. This could suit you if you prefer to converse in your first language.

Tony Mounce – Tony Mounce Mortgages and Insurance (Christchurch)

Tony Mounce Mortgages is the largest brokerage in Canterbury.

It was founded and is still led by Tony Mounce. He is a mortgage legend, and I refer to him as “the bank whisperer”.

Tony worked for BNZ for so long, he often knows lending policy better than some of the bank’s staff.

He uses that understanding to get mortgages approved. He also fights on behalf of his clients to get the right result.

Personally, I used to work with Tony. He was my mentor at BNZ and in a previous life I worked with him at Tony Mounce Mortgages and Insurance. So I know he’s one of the best in the business.

If you work with Tony you will see that he is fast, efficient and friendly. If you want money to buy a house and want it done, Tony is a good fit.

But Tony is also busy. Many people want to work with him, which means he’s not the sort of broker who will sit down with you over lunch to explain the basics of how a mortgage works.

If that’s the sort of hands-on advice you are looking for, then it may pay to work with a member of his team. Otherwise, you can use another broker on this list.

Mark Pullar ­– Roost (Queenstown)

Roost is the only broker on this list based in the Queenstown and Otago markets.

Their office is in Arrowtown, and they are one of the largest mortgage brokers in the area.

Both directors, Mark Pullar and Toby Stanley, featured on NZ Adviser’s list of the top 65 mortgage brokers in 2022.

If you’re looking for expertise directly related to Queenstown or the lower South Island, or if you're looking for classic Southern charm ... the team at Roost may be the right fit for you.

Nathan Miglani – NZ Mortgages (Christchurch)

Nathan Miglani is NZ Mortgages’ managing director. 

He’s had a long-standing career and is on most lists of top mortgage brokers in the country.

He’s won many awards, including being featured in NZ Adviser’s 2023 Top Advisers list. That year, he came in at #2 in the country.

NZ Mortgages is a relatively new brand, but the company has been around for a while. In 2017, Nathan set up his own Loan Market franchise – Loan Market Paramount.

Nathan re-branded his company in 2023. Loan Market Paramount is now called NZ Mortgages, and they’ve hit the ground running.

The team works with first-home buyers and investors. They also help with refinancing, business or development loans.

David Quinn – Stephanie Murray Mortgages – (Wellington)

When I talk to people about good mortgage brokers in Wellington, David’s name always comes up.

Before joining Stephanie Murray Mortgages he worked for 2 major banks in New Zealand.

He’s originally from London, but David has lived in Wellington for over 20 years. He works out of the Wellington office, alongside Stephanie Murray.

The company gets an impressive 4.9 stars on Google. David’s name is frequently mentioned throughout reviews.

Here’s what one said:

“I have worked with real estate and mortgage professionals over the years, but few [are] as professional, insightful and honest as David Quinn. David really does have his clients’ best interests at heart.”

Stephanie Murray Mortgages has 10 branches around the country.

Emm McCartney – NZ Home Loans (Christchurch)

NZ Home Loans (NZHL) are one of the largest brokers on this list, with 80 franchises across the country.

That scale means their processes are down-packed, and they’re a reputable brand.

NZHL is unique in that they focus on the debt reduction on your own home so that you have greater equity to secure your first and then second investment property.

They have their own software, DebtNav. This links to your bank account to show you how quickly your mortgage is shrinking.

Here at Opes, I’ve worked with Emm for years. She’s the director at NZ Home Loans (NZHL) Canterbury Metro. She started the business with her husband, Terry, in 2011. But she first joined as a client consultant.

She was the highest performer in that role from 2006 - 2012.

And now she’s moved up the ranks. She was NZHL’s No.1 business owner in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

She gets positive reviews from her clients, who say she goes the “extra mile”.

Kiwibank wholly owns NZ Home Loans, and they don’t work with as many lenders (banks) as other people on this list. They only work with 2 banks (Kiwibank and ASB) and 2 non-bank lenders (Resimac and Liberty Financial).

If you want a broker who will play hardball to get the interest rate down, or you’re a property investor who wants to split bank ... NZ Home Loans may not be the right fit.

But if you want a mortgage broker to help you pay off your home loan more quickly, NZHL will likely be an excellent fit.

Cameron Marcroft – Loan Market (Auckland)

Loan Market is another of the largest mortgage broker businesses in the country.

They have a massive team of over 165.

Sixteen of them made NZ Adviser’s 2023 list of the top 65 brokers.

Loan Market is not owned by a bank. This is an important difference to other large brokerages.

Like many other companies mentioned on this list, Loan Market has access to over 20 different lenders. This means you can use a split banking strategy.

That makes Loan Market a great fit if you want to deal with a reputable brand and plan to buy multiple properties.

Cameron Marcroft runs the Loan Market Central branch. His team of 8 work out of his Remuera offices.

He’s won a lot of awards and is often ranked amongst the top mortgage brokers in the country.

His name is well respected on the Property Investors’ Chat Group (Facebook). Investors say Cameron and his team give good service.

Brenda Murney – Vega (Christchurch)

Brenda Murney is an experienced mortgage adviser with Vega Mortgages.

She has extensive knowledge of the industry. Before becoming a broker she spent 10 years at BNZ. Since then, she’s worked as a mortgage broker for over 12 years.

She says she’s often talking to the banks. Sometimes, this includes suggesting policy changes and getting asked for feedback.

This is why Brenda is among the best at getting a “yes” from the banks when others have had a “no”.

Brenda works with a lot of New Build property purchases. This makes her an expert in turnkey property.

She says these properties are often sold to investors and first home buyers. She’s also a property investor herself, owning several properties around the country.

While based in Christchurch, she works with people all around the country.

I’ve also worked with Brenda twice. First when we both worked at the BNZ, and then again whehttps://cms.opespartners.co.nz...n we both worked at Tony Mounce Mortgages.

She’s often helped out Opes investors. At the time of writing, she’s got 6 on the go. Safe to say I know Brenda well and can vouch for her professionalism and experience.

Eugene Bartsaikin – Twine financial brokers

Next on this list is Eugene Bartsaikin, of Twine Financial Brokers.

He’s always impressed me with his ability to explain why he’s doing what he’s doing. For instance, Eugene prepares a mortgage strategy proposal for every client. This is free.

This document details the:

• unique challenges the investor faces
• top 2-3 lenders he has considered
• top lender he thinks he should approach first.

This transparent and thoughtfully-explained approach helps investors grasp what’s going on.

The Twine team is based on Auckland’s North Shore. But like other brokers on this list, they also work with borrowers remotely.

If you’re an analytical type, who wants to understand why your broker is making certain decisions ... then Twine Financial brokers may be the right fit.

Kris Pedersen – Kris Pedersen Mortgages (Auckland)

The last broker on our list is Kris Pedersen, of Kris Pedersen Mortgages.

Kris is an active member of the property investment community. His brokerage is one of the sponsors of the Auckland Property Investors’ Association. His company also writes for the NZ Property Investor magazine.

The company specialises in property investment.

Kris is an active property investor himself and also owns Pedersens Property Management.

My understanding is that they primarily focus on active renovation strategies.

This means he can give well-rounded advice to investors. That applies to those who are starting, or who are looking to expand further.