More than 3000 homes under $300k are available to first-time buyers throughout Northland with as little as 10 per cent deposit mortgages available with some lenders.
Property and finance experts have called on buyers to do their homework and speak to professionals before giving up on their dream of owning a house.
"Don't get too disappointed about 20 per cent deposits because you can talk to your bank or a mortgage broker and you'll find that you can buy without that much deposit," LJ Hooker Whangarei chief executive Paul Beazley said.
The KiwiSaver scheme could be used to stump up deposits and initiatives such as home start packages offered by banks, such as Westpac, could help buyers get on the property ladder, he said.
KiwiSaver's voluntary long-term savings scheme allows employees and employers to contribute, with a one-off withdrawal permitted after three years to help purchase first homes.