Where’s My Money? Season 6, Episode 4
Season 6 of the multi-award-winning podcast Where’s My Money? has arrived to keep bringing you the financial content that helps you be better with your money.
enable.me partners with rova to bring this podcast to life and stimulate the conversation about finances with everyday Kiwis. Where’s My Money? follows the story of Reagan – a man chasing the Kiwi Dream but feeling stuck living month-to-month – and his discussions with the experts about what he may be doing wrong and how to fix it.
One man. One million dollars of debt. One podcast to find a way out.
Buying a house can feel chaotic. It’s competitive, it can be expensive, and it can mess with your head if you let it. In this episode, Reagan sits down with property expert Paul Glover to kick off the first of a three-part Ultimate Home Buyer’s Guide series that breaks the process into manageable steps.
Paul’s message is clear: do your homework before you fall in love. Get your money sorted first, understand what you can truly afford, and learn how to ask better questions than anyone else at the open home. The goal is to move from reactive and emotional decision-making to confident, informed choices, especially in a market where auctions are a common pathway to purchase.
The episode also covers what happens after you buy – how to stop looking once the deal is done and trying to chase “the next better option”. Paul and Reagan discuss how to shift your energy into making the home part of your life, because you’re likely to be there for years, not months.
Know what you want (before you start searching)
Paul’s first step is clarity, because vague goals get punished in a fast-moving market.
“Really important to do your research, know what’s out there and, fundamentally, talk to a broker, talk to the bank, find out how much money you’ve got. You could be shopping 200 or 300k above what you’re looking for,” Paul says.
Get clear on the suburb or area you want to buy in, and the compromises you will and won’t make.
Decide your non-negotiables early so you don’t get pulled around by hype or emotion.
Manage expectations. We’re human, and “love” can make you overlook risk.
“You’re getting on the ladder, you’ve got to maybe shift the goalposts a little bit and maybe look outside of the area you’re looking in,” he adds.
Sort the money first
Pre-approval is useful, but it’s not the same as affordability, and it shouldn’t automatically become your target.
“A bank gives you pre-approval and says this is what you can afford. Should that be your max? Or should that be your target?” asks Reagan.
Paul brings it back to serviceability in real life, not just on paper.
“Any bank will go ‘hey look, if you can service this, we’ll give you that’. You’ve got to really factor in your ability to service. You’ve got insurances to pay… car insurance, health insurance, your liabilities, and all of those sorts of things that don’t factor into the mortgage.”
Talk to your broker and understand serviceability
Don’t just ask what you can borrow. Work out what you can comfortably afford once real-life costs show up.
Remember home ownership includes ongoing costs and one-offs (rates, insurance, maintenance), plus purchase costs like due diligence.
“It’s really important to know what your outgoings are and what you can actually… if you’ve done a really good budget… let that sort of give you a guide on what you could borrow,” Paul says.
Treat buying a home like the biggest due diligence purchase you’ll ever make
When money is tight and you’ve lost a few auctions, it can be tempting to cut corners just to stay in the game. Reagan calls out the risky pattern many buyers fall into:
“Maybe you start to skip a building report here and there. It can become a costly thing if you’re not actually getting the house at the end of the day and you’ve done six in a row.”
Ask questions and keep asking until you’re satisfied. No question is a dumb question.
- Understand the documentation: LIM, title, council files, consents, body corporate (if relevant).
- Pay close attention to anything that suggests unconsented work
- Expect costs in the search phase (building inspections, LIMs, due diligence) and plan for them.
Paul compares it to buying a car. Most people check the history, run the reports, and get an inspection. Your biggest asset deserves at least that level of discipline.
After you buy: stop scrolling
Paul’s final piece of advice for new homeowners is to take a moment to pause, reflect, and take a step back from the relentless ‘search’ mentality that consumes most of us when we’re searching for a home.
He calls this the “first oh sh*t moment,” many buyers have: the urge to keep searching even after purchasing, comparing your home to every new listing that pops up.
Treat the decision as done and enjoy getting your time back, because scrolling and researching can be all-consuming. Focus on the practical post-purchase details (chattels, settlement, what’s included, final negotiations), then shift into making the home special for you.
Empower your property journey
Buying a house can feel chaotic. It’s competitive, it can be expensive, and if you’re not careful it can really mess with your head.
But it’s also a process, and that’s the good news. Once you understand the steps, you can stop reacting to every curveball and start making decisions with a bit more confidence and control. Over the next few episodes of this Ultimate Home Buyer’s Guide, Reagan will be breaking it down piece by piece.
Tune in for the remaining parts of the series where Reagan dives further into the world of property in New Zealand.
Catch the rest of Paul Glover’s insights in the full episode below:
Disclaimer: The Where’s My Money? podcast and the information shared by host Reagan White and his guests does not constitute individual financial advice. If you’re interested in receiving financial advice, you can book a consultation with an enable.me coach. Costs apply.
