Home Buyers Guide

You may be buying your first home, moving closer to family or looking for a different pace of life. Start with what you need from the home and the neighbourhood, then work through the practical steps at a pace that lets you make informed decisions.

Our local team can help you compare areas, arrange viewings and understand how a property is being sold. The listing salesperson works for the seller, while also having obligations to give buyers relevant information and answer questions. Your lender, lawyer and building inspector provide the independent advice you need along the way.

1. Research

Think about an ordinary week in your new home: the school or work journey, places you like to spend time and the rooms and outdoor spaces you will use. Our local area guides can help you compare beach, harbour, village and lifestyle settings.

What are Your Non-Negotiables?

Before you even turn to Google, sit down and write out your property deal-breakers. Consider questions like:

• In which suburbs would you most like to live?
• Are local schools a consideration?
• What is the proximity to shops, sports facilities, cafes, and restaurants?
• What are the dream features of your home?
• How many bedrooms do you need? Do you need a garage?
• Do your desirables fall within your budget?

Once you’ve decided on the non-negotiables, it will be much easier to narrow down your search parameters, giving you a good list to start your hunt.

2. Inspections

Use each viewing to compare the home, the street and the practical features that matter to you. Keep a separate note for each property, including its address, viewing date, questions and follow-up answers.

Your open-home checklist

• Check the layout, storage, parking, sun and access against your needs.
• Look for visible moisture marks, mould, damaged surfaces or uneven floors. Record concerns for a qualified inspector; appearances alone do not establish their cause.
• With permission, check doors, windows, taps and fixtures. Confirm which chattels are included.
• Look at the exterior, roof from ground level, gutters, drainage and fences.
• Ask about alterations, available consent records, services and known property issues.
• For coastal or lifestyle property, ask about water supply, wastewater, access and maintenance. Check property-specific hazard information and insurance availability.
• List unresolved questions and obtain advice before committing.

Before you make an offer

A viewing is not a professional building inspection. Arrange independent checks appropriate to the property. Ask your lawyer or conveyancer to review the title, LIM, council records and proposed agreement, and discuss any conditions you need. For a section, confirm the investigations needed for your intended build.

Use the Settled open-home checklist, its property research guidance and MBIE’s home-buying checks.

Local council checks in Bream Bay and Waipu

For homes and sections in the Whangārei District, review the council records as well as the property itself. Whangārei District Council recommends obtaining a LIM before purchase. A LIM reports information held by the council, which can include rates, drainage, consents, planning details and known hazards; it is not a site inspection and may not record work or issues the council does not know about.

• Apply for a Whangārei District Council LIM and read the report with your lawyer or conveyancer.
• Request the council property and building file as well. Compare plans, consents and completion certificates with what you can see at the property.
• Use the council’s natural hazards page and GIS map to check mapped flood, coastal, overland-flow, land-stability and other hazard information. The map is a screening tool, not a property-specific engineering assessment; ask your lawyer and relevant specialists what the records mean for your plans.
• For coastal or lifestyle homes, confirm insurance availability and terms directly with an insurer, and check water, wastewater, access and ongoing maintenance for the specific property.

Whangārei District Council notes that LIM information is limited to its records and that buyers should inspect the site and obtain expert advice. If the property is in a different council district, use that council’s LIM, property file and hazard information.

If a nearby beach is part of the appeal, check the actual public walking route rather than relying on map distance. Walk it from the home you are considering and note road crossings, surface and access arrangements. Our Ruakākā Beach access guide explains how to check a route and links to local council and Department of Conservation information.

Past hazard damage and insurance claims

Ask the vendor and listing salesperson what they know about past natural-hazard damage and repairs, and request any records they hold. Settled recommends asking them first about any Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (NHC) claim history. If you need to request this from NHC yourself, its Official Information Act request form can take up to 20 working days, so allow time before an offer deadline. Review any information with your lawyer and a relevant building professional, and confirm current insurance terms directly with an insurer for the specific property and your intended use.

Planning a build or a move onto lifestyle land? Our sections, land and building resource turns the property questions into a project brief and cost comparison.

3. Finance

Buying a house is a major investment, and it’s important to make sure your finances are in order before starting the process. Once you have an understanding of the market, the next step is to start thinking about how you’re going to pay for it.

How Much Does it Cost to Buy Property?

• Deposit: Discuss deposit requirements, borrowing capacity and any assistance with your lender or mortgage adviser. Eligibility and lending criteria vary.
• Other Costs: Property inspection reports are not compulsory, but it’s a good idea to get a house inspection to uncover any likelihood of hidden costs.

Four Steps to Securing Your Home Loan

1. Set your goal: Once you know the type of property you want and its likely cost, set a target for saving a deposit.
2. Talk to a broker: It’s worth speaking with a broker before you start actively looking for a property. They can help you understand potential borrowing, costs and lender requirements.
3. Get the green light: You’re in a stronger position with a pre-approval from a lender to spend up to a certain amount. Ask your lender how long its approval lasts, which conditions apply and what needs to be confirmed for a specific property.
4. Prepare for an offer: Have your lawyer and lender involved before you commit, and confirm the deposit, finance conditions and timing for the property.

First-home buyer resources

Start with Settled’s first-home buyer guidance and the New Zealand Government’s home-buying resources. Check the current rules for any financial assistance and confirm your eligibility with the relevant provider. Allow for legal advice, inspections, insurance, moving and ongoing ownership costs as well as the deposit.

4. Buying

Once you are satisfied that there are no major problems with your chosen property and it meets all your non-negotiable requirements, the next exciting step is to think about the buying process.

Auctions

An auction is one way to buy a property. Because a successful bid normally creates an unconditional purchase, complete your property checks, legal review and finance arrangements beforehand. Our auction guide explains the process.

Preparation

• Attend as many auctions as possible to understand how they work and observe bidding behaviour.
• Take note of the recently sold prices in your area to know what price range to expect.
• Have your lawyer review the auction documents and confirm the terms, deposit and settlement arrangements before bidding.

Bidding

• It’s important to set yourself some limits and goals, as it can be easy to get caught up in the moment when the auction is in full swing.
• Decide your maximum price in advance and stay within it.
• Make sure you understand the auctioneer and ask for clarification if you need it.

Other Ways to Buy a House

It’s not all about auctions; there are other ways to buy a house. These include:

• Advertised price or negotiation: A property may be marketed with an asking price or by negotiation, with the buyer and seller negotiating through the written offer process.
• Expressions of interest: A formal written offer is submitted for the property by a specific date.
• Tender: A method of buying a property through private and confidential offers made by a set deadline.
• Make a pre-auction offer: If you’re unwilling to wait, you can make an offer to the seller to see if they’d accept it.

5. Moving

Moving into your new home is exciting. A little preparation before settlement can make the move easier.

Before settlement day

Work with your lawyer and lender on the agreed dates, funds and insurance. Arrange a pre-settlement inspection with the salesperson and take your agreement so you can check the property and included chattels against it. Allow enough time to raise any concerns with your lawyer before settlement; a tenanted property may need extra time to arrange access. Confirm settlement has taken place before collecting keys or relying on access for movers. Settled’s settlement guide has a checklist to help you prepare.

Pre-Move

• Throw away, recycle, or donate all your unwanted items in advance.
• Book the removal company and boxes in advance.
• Make a note of all the mail you get and gradually change your address.
• Pack and label your boxes by room.
• Pack a box or suitcase of items you’ll need for the first night.

On move day

• Set aside medicines, chargers, important documents and first-night essentials so you can reach them without unpacking everything.
• Take any utility meter readings needed for billing, and note where the switchboard and water shut-off are using the property information supplied.

In your first week

• Confirm power, water, internet and waste-collection arrangements at your exact address. If the home uses a tank, private wastewater system or shared service, keep the handover instructions and maintenance contact to hand.
• File the agreement, warranties, consent records and service or maintenance information together so you can find them when needed.

Tell us what you are looking for using the property alert form below, or call 09 433 0334 to talk through your search with our Bream Bay team.