About Cabin Funders

Company: Cabin Funders (JFK Capital Limited), New Zealand

What we do: Consumer cabin loans for New Zealand buyers, covering cabins, sleepouts, granny flats, minor dwellings, transportable homes, tiny homes (on wheels or fixed), DIY kitsets, and off-grid lifestyle cabins.

Why we exist: Cabins, sleepouts and tiny homes sit outside mainstream mortgage lending because they aren't permanent dwellings on owned land. Cabin Funders is a specialist consumer lender purpose-built for the segment, securing the loan against the cabin itself via the PPSR.

Key facts:

  • NZ-owned and operated, lending nationwide
  • Regulated under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA)
  • Financial Service Provider registration: FSP1010017
  • Decision typically within one business day
  • Direct payment to your cabin supplier on request, with staged drawdowns where appropriate
  • PPSR security taken against the cabin where required by law

Contact: Phone: 0800 333 729, Email: info@cabinfunders.co.nz

What we finance: Transportable cabins, sleepouts and studios, granny flats and minor dwellings, tiny homes (on wheels or on foundations), DIY-built kitsets, off-grid and lifestyle-block cabins.

Where we lend: All of New Zealand, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Napier-Hastings, Palmerston North, Nelson, Queenstown, and rural and lifestyle blocks nationwide.

Can I get a loan for a Off-grid & lifestyle cabins in NZ?

Yes. Cabin Funders specialises in loans for Off-grid & lifestyle cabins in New Zealand. We assess affordability under the CCCFA and work with most NZ cabin suppliers and builders.

What deposit do I need for a Off-grid & lifestyle cabins loan?

Deposit depends on the build cost and the cabin type. Many Off-grid & lifestyle cabins applicants qualify with a low or zero deposit, particularly when the cabin secures the loan. Speak to us about your situation.

A modern New Zealand cabin in a green rural setting

Cabin finance for off-grid and rural builds.

Loans for cabins, sleepouts, granny flats, transportables and tiny homes. $5,000 to $150,000. Decision back in a business day.

NZ owned and operated
FSPR-registered

Get a real cabin loan quote.

Takes a minute. No credit check at this step.

Indicative quote only. Your final rate depends on a CCCFA affordability check.

Cabin Funders finances off-grid and lifestyle block cabins in New Zealand from $5,000 to $150,000. The cabin itself is the security, registered on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), so the land you put the cabin on doesn't need to be in your name. Solar setups, rainwater systems, composting toilets, septic tanks and rural delivery costs are all included in the loan. Decision in one business day.

$5k–$150k
Cabin loan range
Paid direct
Funds to your supplier
1 day
Decision in 1 business day
11.95%
Indicative rate from

What cabin buyers struggle with for this type of build

A plain look at how off-grid & lifestyle cabins actually get financed (and don't) in New Zealand.

Off-grid and lifestyle block cabins are a growing segment driven by three forces: city Kiwis buying rural land they can't yet build a house on, family members putting a cabin on parents' lifestyle block, and the long-running NZ bach tradition adapted for solar and rainwater. The cabins are usually 20m² to 60m², fully self-contained, with solar power, rainwater collection and either a composting toilet or a septic system.

The right finance product for this segment is a secured cabin loan written against the cabin itself, with the land arrangement (owned, leased, family, partner's) treated as separate from the loan structure. Cabin Funders covers the cabin, the off-grid services, and the rural delivery costs as a single loan, registered on the PPSR. The bach you've been planning can land on the section this summer instead of three winters from now.

Three things that block this kind of cabin purchase

The pain points we hear from off-grid & lifestyle cabins buyers, almost word for word, every week.

Rural and off-grid sits outside mainstream lending

A cabin on a bush block, a lifestyle section without grid power, or family land without services doesn't fit standard home-loan policy. The right product is a secured cabin loan written against the cabin itself, not the land underneath it.

Off-grid services are part of the cost

Solar setups, rainwater systems and septic tanks add $10,000 to $30,000 to the build. The loan needs to cover the full delivered-and-set-up cost, not just the cabin shell.

You may not own the land

Many rural cabin buyers are on family land, lease arrangements or a partner's lifestyle block. A finance product secured against the cabin via PPSR is the structure that fits, because land ownership becomes irrelevant to the loan.

With a Cabin Funders loan vs paying outright

Cabin Funders writes a secured cabin loan against the cabin itself, registered on the PPSR. The land status doesn't matter to the loan structure. We fund the cabin shell, the delivery, the solar system, the water setup and the deck as a single loan. Loans from $5,000 to $150,000 with terms up to seven years. The bach you've been saving for can land on the section this summer instead of three winters from now.

Basic off-grid bach

$48,000 loan

Repay $833 per month over 7 years

24m² cabin with solar, rainwater tank, composting toilet. Loan covers cabin plus delivery and basic off-grid services.

Mid-range lifestyle block cabin

$85,000 loan

Repay $1,475 per month over 7 years

40m² self-contained cabin on family lifestyle block. Loan covers cabin, full solar setup, septic tank, water system, decking.

Top-spec rural bach with services

$135,000 loan

Repay $2,342 per month over 7 years

60m² fully-fitted bach on a rural section. Loan covers cabin, full off-grid services, deck, and rural delivery and crane.

What we cover

Cabin Funders finances the full picture for off-grid & lifestyle cabins in New Zealand, not just the cabin price from the yard.

Off-grid cabins (solar, rainwater, composting)
Lifestyle block cabins and weekenders
Rural baches
Hunting and fishing cabins
Family land cabin builds
Cabin plus off-grid services package

Buy from any NZ supplier

We can fund a off-grid & lifestyle cabins from any reputable New Zealand supplier or builder. There's no approved-supplier list to squeeze into.

We pay your supplier directly, so your deposit is never at risk between order and delivery. Just tell us who you're buying from when you apply.

Why borrowers choose Cabin Funders

What makes a Cabin Funders loan different for off-grid & lifestyle cabins.

Land ownership isn't the question

The loan secures the cabin, not the land. Family land, lease land, partner's land, lifestyle block. As long as you have permission to put the cabin there, we can lend.

Off-grid services included

Loan covers the solar system, the water tank, the composting setup, the deck. Not just the cabin shell.

PPSR security on the cabin

The cabin itself is the security, registered on the PPSR. Land status is irrelevant to the loan structure.

Rural delivery built into the loan

Cabin delivery to a rural block can run $3,000 to $8,000 in transport and crane costs. We fund the full delivered cost, not just the yard price.

Decision in a business day

Online application, CCCFA affordability assessment, signed agreement. No site visit required, no rural-property valuation wait.

Move it if your situation changes

Lifestyle block sells, family land arrangement ends, you decide to relocate. The cabin moves with you and the PPSR security follows.

How a Off-grid & lifestyle cabins loan works

From application to your supplier being paid, in three steps.

1

Apply online

Five-minute application. Tell us about the cabin, the supplier, your income and your deposit. We'll run a CCCFA affordability check and come back with a yes, a no, or a question, usually inside one business day.

2

Sign the loan agreement

Plain-English loan documents arrive by email. Read them, ask any questions, then e-sign. We register a PPSR security interest on the cabin once it's in your possession.

3

We pay your supplier

Loan funds settle direct to your cabin supplier, either in a single payment or in staged drawdowns on the contract milestones. Your repayments start the following month.

With a Cabin Funders loan vs paying outright

What changes when you stop trying to save for the whole cabin in cash.

Paying outright (or trying to)

  • Save for years while rent eats every spare dollar
  • Bank says no on policy grounds (transportable, no foundation, no land)
  • Personal loan caps below build cost at 14 to 22% unsecured
  • Drain emergency savings to pay the supplier deposit
  • Builder waitlists keep moving while you scrape funds together

With a Cabin Funders loan

  • Cabin on your section this season, not three winters from now
  • Yes to transportable, on-wheels, off-grid and no-foundation cabins
  • Secured rate via PPSR, lower than unsecured personal loan
  • Supplier paid direct, no money sitting in your account
  • Repay early without penalty when your situation changes

Common questions

What off-grid & lifestyle cabins buyers ask us most often.

Do I need to own the land the cabin sits on?
No. This is one of the most common reasons buyers come to Cabin Funders. The loan is secured against the cabin itself via PPSR registration, which means the land status is separate from the loan. Family land, parents' lifestyle block, a partner's section, a lease arrangement, or land you're still saving to buy. As long as you have permission to put the cabin on the land, we can fund it. We do recommend documenting the land arrangement in writing for everyone's sake.
Can the loan cover delivery, off-grid services and siteworks too?
Yes. Rural and off-grid builds usually need solar, water tanks, septic or composting systems, plus delivery and crane costs that often run $5,000 to $30,000 on top of the cabin itself. We fund all of it as a single loan rather than asking you to find that money in cash. Most off-grid loans are written with the full delivered-and-set-up cost as the principal.
What happens if I move the cabin to a new property?
The PPSR security follows the cabin, not the land, so you can move the cabin to a new section without refinancing or restructuring the loan. Just let us know where it's being relocated to so we can update the security registration. Rural and lifestyle-block buyers often relocate at least once over the life of the loan, particularly if they start on family land and later buy their own section.
How does a Cabin Funders loan work?
Cabin Funders is built specifically for cabin finance. Because most cabins can be moved or relocated, the cabin itself is registered on the PPSR as the loan security, which is the right legal mechanism for a transportable asset. Bring us your build quote and income evidence. We will run our affordability assessment under the CCCFA, give you a decision in a business day, and pay your supplier direct in staged drawdowns.
What's the maximum loan term?
Cabin Funders writes loans on terms up to 7 years. The right term depends on the loan amount, your income servicing and your repayment preference. A longer term means lower monthly payments and more total interest, a shorter term means the opposite. We'll show you both options before you commit.
Start your application

Ready to finance your off-grid & lifestyle cabins?

Five-minute online application. Decision in a business day. No early-repayment fee.

Start your application