“We really want to have more Pacific homeownerships here in New Zealand. It definitely is attainable and it really is not a far reach goal,” – Homivise Co-founder Noelani Ah Chong
A mother-daughter duo have created one of New Zealand’s first Pasifika-led AI-powered property education platforms.
Launched in June, the free app is designed to help New Zealanders build confidence and knowledge of the homebuying experience.
The app is called ‘Homivise’ and it was developed by University of Auckland graduate Noelani Ah Chong, who observed her mum’s clients struggle to navigate the complexity of buying their first home.
“I do realise that from the information that we kind of gathered from the first homebuyers and professionals in the industry, there really is a lot of readily information scattered all over the internet, so that’s essentially where the idea was born,” Noelani says.
“But I think, the heart of it is willing to just help as much people understand the homebuying journey, and not feel too overwhelmed. We really want them to kind of walk away feeling a bit more confident.”
Her mother and co-founder, Henrietta Devoe, is an experienced licensed real estate agent. Drawing on her years of industry experience, she noticed that the preparation stage is where many people fall short.
“A common misconception that families or individuals usually have when it comes to purchasing a house is that you need to find a house first,” Henrietta says.
“But I believe more of the first stage is preparation. So, making sure you have a deposit, that you’ve saved enough, and that you got enough income to be able to afford the mortgage payments.”
This led to the creation of a readiness score generator in the Homivise app to help users better understand where they are at in their property journey. The generator evaluates a user’s financial data to produce a score out of 100. This gives users a clearer picture of their current position and the steps they may need to take before buying a home.
Once they feel confident, the app can connect users with a Homivise Advisor, who will then connect them with the appropriate professionals to carry out the next phase in their homeownership journey.
To further support users, Homivise provides AI-powered guidance, simplified homebuying educational resources, personalised insights and industry-informed knowledge that addresses common questions and concerns faced by many homebuyers.
Ultimately, Henrietta says Homivise is more of an educational tool, rather than a replacement for professional financial, legal, or property advice.
“It’s not going to replace real estate agents or mortgage brokers, of course, because the real estate profession is really about human connection and relationship and built on trust,” she says.
“In a simple way, it really demystifies the process of buying a home.”
And while Homivise aims to give others the confidence to consider homeownership, for the mother-daughter team, it’s more than just an app. It’s a reflection of a shared passion to help others and a partnership built on family.
“I am extremely proud to be in this partnership with my mum. It really has been a big, big, blessing you know. Not every day you get to call a co-founder your mother,” Noelani says.
“We really want to have more Pacific homeownerships here in New Zealand. It definitely is attainable and it really is not a far reach goal.”
The Homivise app is now available for download on the App Store.
