027 336 300021 years in finance. Six years advising. One straight answer when you call.
JJ van der Westhuizen, Senior Mortgage Adviser. Based in Auckland. Working with first home buyers, refinancers, and property investors across New Zealand.
Who you are talking to
15 years as a commercial banker, six years advising Kiwis on mortgages. The bank’s side of the table and the client’s side, both seen up close.
Working with Auckland buyers across first home, refinance, investment, and new build. Living the market, not just reading about it.
Bank and non-bank. The four majors, second-tier banks, and specialist lenders for situations the big banks will not look at.
Across first home buyers, refinances, investment property, and new build. Real deals, real settlements, real outcomes.
Lender pays the commission when your loan settles. You get full advice, application support, and ongoing reviews at no charge.
Personal Financial Service Provider registration. Operating under Mortgage Design Limited’s Financial Advice Provider licence (FSP752291).
The training behind the advice
Formal qualifications
- Post-graduate degree, Economics
- Two years lecturing at university level
- NZ Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5), Residential Property Lending strand
- Code of Professional Conduct compliant
Career experience
- 15 years as a commercial banker
- Six years as a mortgage adviser in Auckland
- Accreditations with 25+ NZ lenders (bank and non-bank)
- Senior Mortgage Adviser at Mortgage Design
How I ended up doing this
I’m an experienced Financial Adviser with over six years of operating in Auckland and accreditations with more than 25 lenders (Bank and Non-Bank) across New Zealand. My passion lies in delivering first-hand, practical finance solutions for Kiwis, from helping first-home buyers take their first step onto the property ladder to showing existing homeowners smarter ways to reduce repayments and interest costs.
I also work closely with property investors, providing tailored mortgage strategies to help grow and optimise their portfolios. My approach is always client-centric: every solution is custom-built to meet individual financial goals, while ensuring long-term sustainability.
With a post-graduate degree in Economics and two years of lecturing at university, combined with 15 years’ experience as a commercial banker, I bring a depth of knowledge and a unique perspective to every engagement. This mix of academic insight and hands-on banking experience enables me to structure creative, efficient, and effective finance solutions for my clients.
The clients I am built for
Every client is different, but these are the situations I am particularly well-placed to help with, based on background, experience, and the kinds of deals I structure most often.
First home buyers
Deposit options, KiwiSaver withdrawals, First Home Loan eligibility, low-deposit lender appetite. Start to settlement, no detail glossed over.
Growing families
Upsizing for a second or third child, moving to a better school zone, or buying that family home you’ll stay in for the next 10 years. Lender treatment of childcare costs and parental leave matters here.
Healthcare & education professionals
Nurses, doctors, teachers, your income is reliable but lender income-policy treatment varies wildly. I know which lenders treat your situation favourably.
South African expats
If you’ve recently arrived from SA, I understand the income documentation challenges, NZ credit-history gap, and visa-to-PR pathway impacts on lending.
New property investors
Buying your first investment property is a different game. Lender appetite, equity release, DTI rules, structure, I’ll help you plan beyond the next purchase.
Self-employed
If your income comes from a business, limited company, sole trader, contracting, lender treatment is the difference between approval and decline. I know the differences.
Languages
English, Afrikaans
Based in
Auckland. Working with clients across the Greater Auckland region and remotely throughout NZ.
Ready to talk through your situation?
30 minutes. No cost. No obligation. Just a clear answer on what is possible and what to do next.