A Tauranga-based property finance and investment trust will be donning the party hats, popping the bubbly, and celebrating two big milestones this week.

Not only is First Mortgage Trust celebrating being in business for 21 years now, it's also crossed into 'substantial financial territory”, with more than $500 million of investor funds under its management.

CEO Tony Kinzett says it's a figure that makes the trust one of the Bay of Plenty's true powerhouses.

'Our financial growth and our extended operational history have depended on our resolute conservative approach.

'Year after year, First Mortgage Trust has gone from strength to strength, both in terms of serving our investors and in meeting the needs and aspirations of borrowers.”

Tony says the trust's strong governance, unwavering operational care and prudent risk management underpins both arms of our business.

'On the one hand, we aim to be a reliable and high performing investor opportunity. On the other hand, within our relatively conservative policies, we are active and willing lenders.

'Our continuing growth and additional strength should allow us to fulfil both of these objectives ever more diligently.”

And this approach is certainly working, adds Tony who says the trust's responsible management, financial scale and extensive property sector diversification has provided investors, with favourable returns when compared to trading banks, and valuable risk management.

'At the same time, with such considerable funding available, the Trust is a natural port of call for property borrowers.

'They're good reasons to look ahead with confidence for another 21 years.”

First Mortgage Trust is New Zealand's largest non-bank first mortgage lender on commercial, industrial, residential and rural property, and operates throughout the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Auckland regions, and beyond.