If you have never bought a property before, it can be an intimidating prospect. We have broken down this process below and highlighted some things you may want to keep an eye out for along the way.
The process can be split into about 9 general stages (order may vary slightly).
1. Finding a house
You might seek out house through a real estate agency or by using a website such as TradeMe and then dealing with the homeowner (Vendor) yourself.
2. Get a lawyer
You will need to have a lawyer or conveyancing practitioner acting for you in order to complete the purchase. They will be able to advise you of each step and aid you with the documents required along the way.
3. Arranging finance
You will need to be completely satisfied that you will have sufficient finance available to you prior to making a sale and purchase agreement (“SPA”) unconditional. Ideally, you can do a lot of the ground work for your finance before you even find a house to buy.
If you are getting a loan you will need confirmation from your bank that your loan application has been approved, which you can generally get while you house hunt. You can also complete your initial Kiwisaver forms to start the process of receiving your Kiwisaver first home withdrawal and home start grants before you sign. These forms can be downloaded online.
