Why Choose Sue

A mortgage broker that goes further.

Whether you’re a first time buyer or an experienced property investor, we will work hard to help you get the finance you need.


We’re based in Auckland but work with clients from Dunedin to Dubai.


We can help you close the deal on a residential or investment property purchase by leveraging our relationships with a wide range of lenders. We’ll take the time to understand your needs and provide expert guidance on all your options.


Many people focus on the interest rate above all else, and forget that financial success depends on many factors. No one works harder to get you the best possible rate – but we don’t stop there. We want to help you build your wealth and enjoy long-term success.


Perhaps that’s why so many of our clients return time and time again.

Sue Tierney Mortgages provides a tailored mortgage broking service for people looking to buy residential homes, investment properties and commercial properties. Our service starts with understanding your financial situation and future goals. We take the time to learn what matters, and then we put together a home loan package that suits. With decades of experience dealing with lenders, Sue and her team can recommend the best range of options. Sue’s service is built on four special factors you won’t find at the average mortgage broker.

Sue's Story

Perhaps you have to grow up without a lot of money in order to realise the true value of it. The eldest of four children, Sue Tierney started life in Christchurch in a family where every dollar was precious. Her parents split when she was young, and Sue helped her Greek-born mother make ends meet by wiping tables at the Christchurch airport café on weekends from the age of 11.


Although her leadership potential was recognised early – she was head of her School Council at the South Island’s biggest intermediate school – Sue left full-time education with few qualifications.


Landing a job as a bank teller, she swiftly made the move into commercial and rural lending. Sue found she loved working with customers and representing their business to the bank (and vice versa). “Sometimes the bank would require a cashflow projection and the farmer wouldn’t know how to put one together. I’d ask for their accounts, then help them work out the figures. It was all about communication and getting involved in people’s lives.”


At the same time Sue was making her first tentative steps into property ownership. She had opened a home ownership account at the tender age of 15 and paid a portion of her cafeteria wages into it each week. 


“I was saving $10 a week, and that really taught me the discipline of focusing on a goal and saving for it.”


At 19 she found a section she wanted to buy and approached her employer, Trust Bank Canterbury, for a loan to put a house on it. Her loan application was declined, which came as a shock. Although Sue eventually found finance from another source, she reckons the experience taught her how the loan process can be stressful when you least expect it.


“It taught me to empathise with clients, and never underestimate what they’re going through.”


Sue’s passion for home ownership was infectious. She persuaded her siblings to start saving for property and eventually found herself managing a portfolio of four properties when her sister moved overseas.


“I’ve mowed lawns, hung wallpaper and painted houses. I’ve never objected to the hard work involved in property ownership – even though I might ask for more than the $10 a week my sister was paying me back then,” she laughs.


We deal direct with the banks

Most mortgage brokers go through a middleman or head office. On the other hand, Sue Tierney Mortgages holds direct agreements with all the major banks in New Zealand. We approach the best lender for your requirements and strive to get an answer in the shortest possible time.

Personalised service

Whether you're a first time buyer or a property investor, we'll take the time to meet with you and gain a real understanding of what matters to you.

100% independent

Most real estate agents work for the vendor, not the buyer. This is why Sue Tierney Mortgages is independent from any real estate chain or financial institution. We’re under no pressure to facilitate a deal if it’s not in the best interests of our client.

We know property inside out

Sue started saving for her first property when she was a teenager and has since become a successful property investor. She knows what it's like to mow the lawns of a rental on Saturday and hang wallpaper to attract new tenants.

THE TEAM


Our team is trained both internationally and locally, so they understand your needs and the environment in which you do business.  

SUE MIHAKIS - TIERNEY

Principal / Mortgage Advisor

Worked in the mortgage space for more than 35 years.

LOUISE NICHOLLS

Financial Advisor

I've worked in financial services since the early 2000 joining Sue Tierney Mortgages and Insurance in 2017. I bring specific skills and experience to the team, having previously been a Senior Lender for a lending institution and a Business Development Manager for New Zealand’s largest insurance company. As a qualified and registered financial advisor, and having an eye for detail, I am focused on ensuring the right outcome for every client I assist.


Married with two children that keeps me on my toes and bring incredible joy and laughter to my life. The noise and mess they create at home, however, is another story.

Client Stories



Her team has positively contributed to my property portfolio and financial position.

I’ve been with Sue since my first house purchase back in 1998. I cannot overstate how much Sue and her team have positively contributed to my property portfolio and financial position.


During this time, there have been no ‘hard-sell’ or ‘in-your-face’ tactics from Sue or her colleagues. Instead, their approach to business is extremely polished and professional yet friendly, inclusive and consultative.


They do so much more than simply secure a great finance deal. They present options, make recommendations and have guided and supported me through many deals over the years.


I have no hesitation in recommending Sue Tierney Mortgages to my friends…In fact, I have, many times over.


- Brendon Pope

She works incredibly hard to satisfy her clients’ requirements and if it is possible to make a transaction work.

After my recent involvement with Sue Tierney and her firm in numerous mortgage applications made by buyer clients of mine, I feel it is time that I wrote with a few comments on the way she operates her business.


I have had over 30 years in a Real Estate Agency and have often been involved in assisting buyers with arranging their mortgage finance, mostly by introducing them to a specialist in this field. 


A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Sue Tierney and, quite simply, I cannot fault the way Sue conducts her business as a mortgage broker. She works incredibly hard to satisfy her clients’ requirements and if it is possible to make a transaction work, Sue will do just that.


I would recommend her services without any hesitation, and wish her the best for the exciting future that I know she has ahead of her.


- Chas Wilson
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