Buying a home in New Zealand
Most NZ buyers do not have their own agent. The salesperson presenting the property to you is paid by the vendor and works for the vendor. This is not a criticism of individual salespeople; it is the structure of the New Zealand market. Understanding that structure — and what it means for how you gather information, make offers, and close — is the foundation of this section.
Every guide here is tied to New Zealand law, New Zealand practice, and New Zealand contract forms. No adaptation of overseas material.
By stage
Before you offer
Understanding the NZ agent structure (most of it works for the vendor, not you). Getting finance pre-approval. Planning your due diligence budget.
Conditions and due diligence
The LIM, the title search, the building report, the sale-of-other-property clause. What each condition protects and what it does not.
At auction and tender
Auctions are unconditional at the hammer. Tenders require a different strategy. Pre-purchase due diligence decisions are binding.
Problem behaviours
The patterns sellers' agents use on buyers. What is normal negotiation, what crosses into misleading conduct under the Fair Trading Act.
If things go wrong
Undisclosed defects. Misleading statements. Settlement problems. REA complaints, CGA and FTA remedies.
This section is general information, not advice
Content here describes New Zealand law, regulation, industry practice, and the peer-reviewed research behind our analysis. It is not financial advice under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013, and it is not legal advice. For your specific transaction, consult a licensed professional.
For document-by-document or conversation-by-conversation analysis of your specific purchase, continue in the Advisor.