Not having a property to sell will give you the advantage of being ‘a cash buyer’ and it is a good idea to approach a real estate agent to find you a property. As well as taking you to see any property on their books, they can also negotiate with other agents.
So if you are driving around and see a property advertised through another company, take it to your agent and they will arrange for you to view the property. Doing it that way, means the agent who has worked hard on your behalf, possibly running you around, will still be entitled to a share of the commission. More importantly, they will be able to negotiate over the price of the property for you.
Real Estate agents work hard in New Zealand. They take over the sale of the property for the owner. “Open homes”, which are held most Saturdays and Wednesdays are advertised in the paper. The Real Estate Agent will spend the afternoon at a house, and the owners usually go out. Various prospective buyers can then view the property throughout the afternoon.
The whole process can be relatively quick. Once you find a property you like, your agent will produce a contract for you to sign. This will be subject to conditions, and it is wise to make sure those conditions include:
1. subject to satisfactory finance being approved
2. satisfactory builders check
3. settlement date
4. subject to Titles checked by solicitor
It is very much buyer beware, and some New Zealanders would have you believe there is no such thing as ‘a good area to live’ or good or bad schools.
Take your time when choosing a property. At the time of writing properties sell relatively quickly, particularly compared to the UK. It would be easy to get panicked into signing up for a house in the fear of ‘missing out’ but you could make an expensive mistake. Areas can change quite dramatically within the matter of a couple of streets, so always check out the surrounding neighbourhood, and schools if relevant, before making any final decisions.