What you'll take away
The main ideas
- The biggest barriers first-home buyers face (and how to overcome them)
- How credit scores really impact your mortgage chances
- The #1 money habit to start today if you want to buy your first home
- How to set up the next generation to be money-smart
Episode guide
The conversation
Buying your first home can feel like climbing a mountain blindfolded — banks, deposits, credit scores, and a whole lot of fine print. If you’re a first-home buyer (or dreaming of becoming one), this episode is your game plan.
I’m joined by Willie Leota, host of the Fresh Moni Podcast, Founder of Ethos Mortgages, husband and father of 2, who is a leading voice for financial capability here in Aotearoa.
Together, we unpack the real steps you need to take to get finance ready — from understanding good debt vs bad debt, avoiding the traps of Afterpay and buy-now-pay-later, to the money habits that actually impress a bank.
Whether you’re six months away from applying for a mortgage or just starting to think about property, this episode will leave you feeling clearer, more confident, and ready to take action.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
And as you’ll hear in this episode — Willie is just a top bloke who genuinely wants to help.
To get in touch with him, head to ethosmortgages.co.nz.
Tune in if you’re ready to figure out how to get your foot on the property ladder — and then have a chat with Willie, the guy who makes finance feel simple.
This guide was prepared from the official published RichHer episode notes. A full transcript was not included in the public podcast feed.
Important information
Education, not personal advice.
Not personalised financial, legal advice. Seek professional advice based on your personal circumstances.
RichHer provides general educational information only. Sarah Coombes and RichHer are not licensed or authorised to provide financial advice in Australia or New Zealand. Nothing we publish is personalised financial, investment, legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. We do not consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Seek advice from appropriately qualified and licensed professionals before making financial or other important decisions.