[CjChris]

Hi, I noticed on another thread that some folks purchased a house in NZ while still in the UK....never thought about this, and while it seems pretty risky, I also can see why it makes sense to have a place to move directly into once there (and hopefully stay in for a long time!:yes )

My OH and I are not sure we will be able to get to NZ before Sept/ Oct. We're already interested in a couple of properties, which we feel sure will be sold by the time we get to NZ (and making a trip out now is nearly impossible due to our current employment). I'm going to try to speed up the PR process with a job offer, but who knows when/if that will happen.

We are in the US, by the way.

My questions are...how does one go about this process-- research on the property, making offer, transfering money, etc.? Was it maddening dealing with details a half a world away? :confused:

Is this only possible using a straight out purchase (no mortgage)?

Thanks.

Christine

[tigerlily]

I would think that there are many many reasons not to do it, and only a few for doing it. One is the condition of the house- the photos might look great, but the smell of mold could be all over the place. I've noticed how the angle that photos are taken can make it appear that a house has a lovely large private yard, but then you notice that there is a giant 3 story house that borders the back yard! There is also the issue of neighborhood- it might look nice and well maintained based on this one house, but is there a factory right down the street? Because houses seem not to have central heating very often, how much sun the house gets is critical. It would be hard to tell how much it gets without a visit. Also, what if plans change and you want to go to a different city, or not go to NZ at all? It would be frustrating to then have to sell a house from afar.

I've been falling in love with houses for the past 3 years. But I keep falling in love all over again, so I bet you'll find someplace you'll love once you are there as well.

If you are worried about your items being shipped, it takes 8-10 weeks very often to get there, plenty of time to find a rental or even buy a house if you were really wanting to do it right away after your arrival.

[tick tock]

Gree with above...dont rush.

What you can do is look at all the real estate sits and get an idea of where and in what you would like to live.

Keep an eye on the houses and you will get a feel for the price and take note of the ones which are not selling.

If you hav'nt...look at 'open to view'...360 degree photos of houses....cool

[jen]

We've been house-hunting here for a couple months & I agree 150% with Tigerlily's post. So often we look at a property listing online and what you see when you get there makes you wonder how they got the photos (I think estate agent photographers must have a special talent for leaning over backwards at the corners of yards and decks to make them look huge!). And also the smell of damp & the immediate neighborhood condition isn't possible to tell from photos.

Maybe we're just too cautious, but it took us a while to get a handle on how the process here differs from buying a home in the US and get recommendations for a good solicitor and a home inspection company. As Tigerlily said, it'll take awhile for your things to get here so you can always line up properties to look at as soon as you get to NZ.

Jen

Jen

[Nathan]

We looked at a place that interested us on Google Earth. Sweet technology! :)

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Christine,
Although we bought our land in NZ without seeing it we would never buy a house without seeing it.We had people check the land out for us but there are so many not so good properties in NZ that we would never purchase a house without viewing it.A house is a very personal thing and someone elses opinion of a perfect house may not be yours.
As regards the purchase of the land when we were not in the country it went very smoothly. We have a very good team,solicitors, advisors etc and we have full confidence in them but we still would not let them buy a house for us.

Kindest regards

Caroline and Dave

[sarahw]

I agree with the others - never buy a house without seeing it - you could be buying a complete dud and you'll have months/years of hell trying to sell it or put right what could be wrong - for example - things we have seen/smelt/heard whilst looking round houses that won't be shown in the photographs and may not come up in the details/searches etc. - black mould covering ceilings, damp and mould - water streaming down walls, bad roofing that needs re-doing/fixing, sections which are tiny but are made to look big on the photographs, a dodgy looking neighbourhood, rot in the timber on the outside of the house that needs completely recladding, a driveway that needs completely replacing, situation on a main road that isn't shown in photos! Situation on a street which is impossible to pull out from in a car due to traffic! Traffic noise!, dangerous decking that needs replacing, situation next to a building site of an absolute ton of new houses, damp, damp and more damp!! Don't underestimate the work needed on a damp house - the whole lot could be rotten through plus health issues & all your possessions & clothes rot.

I'd agree with the others - by all means look on the web & decide the location you want to live in & what type of house you'd be interested in, but actually do a physical look first - you could be paying for a rash decision for a very long time not only financially, but with your health and stress. When you're in the country you're in a much better bargaining position with the people selling their house. No need to rush - part of the adventure is looking around places and deciding where you want to live...

[CjChris]

I totally agree with all that you are saying....these are my thoughts exactly, but when I saw that others have done this, I was surprised, intrigued, and yes, skeptical!

Thank you all for confirming my thoughts, that this is something one should not do from afar! For those of you who have and it turned out well, good for you!:clap

[Jo Jo]

I am still in the UK and have bought a house in NZ even though I am not planning to go there until September. BUT, I was in NZ at Christmas, and looked at lots of houses before buying this one. Personally, I wouldn't have bought a house in NZ without seeing it because I am not knowledgeable about the market. I think it is completely feasible to buy property without seeing it if you have a good knowledge of the market in which you are buying, but I'm not sure of the advisability of doing so if you don't know the market, for all the reasons people have already mentioned above.

Having said that, the actual process of buying our house was really easy compared to buying in the UK (I don't know what buying in the US is like). But then my boyfriend is a Kiwi, so we had lots of connections in NZ, which probably helped. We had an IFA in NZ, who was recommended to us by a family friend who is an estate agent, and we found our solicitor through personal recommendation as well. We gave my boyfriend's father power of attorny, so he signed all the papers for us. Arranging the mortgage was really easy, but we had a really small LTV ratio, and that may have made a difference.

The other big thing is that I am going over to NZ on a partnership visa, so am pretty sure that moving there isn't going to be a problem. I think if I was going through another route I definitely wouldn't have bought a house yet.

[willowshouse]

So you have actually seen the house you have bought Jo-Jo.. quite a different prospect from buying sight unseen ..

Couldn't agree more with all the posts above. If you were talking about buying sight unseen in UK at least you might have the reassurance that the type of house you were buying was quantifiable (I hope you get what I mean) .. ie, a 4 bed, 2 rec victorian terraced house .. it just isn't the same here. No two houses are the same and when you've had a look at a few horrors you will appreciate why the advice is to wait.

On a parting note, I have looked at around 20 properties which looked good from the details and pictures provided but had serious flaws in them which would prevent me from even considering buying one of them.

Dawn

[Rizak]

We looked at a place that interested us on Google Earth. Sweet technology! :)
I guess I'm not the only geek here.

I found a great site called Okura Country Estate (listed on someone else's blog), found the location on Google Maps, took their site view and did an overlay in Photoshop to see exactly where the available lots were situated. I could see which ones had trees and get a bit of a feel for the traffic flow as well.

:roll

[speckythecky]

I know when I was buying my first house in UK I did a lot of research and picked properties to go and look at but made my mind up about the properties very quickly when I actually went to see them. One house I drove down the road and didn't even stop. Another I walked in and the smell of damp animals but me off and I walked back out.

having said about smells though, my current house had a very strong smell of curry which kept reappearing when we moved furniture and we only got rid of by replacing the carpets and curtains (about 12 months after we had moved in)

[jaycee]

I'm one who did it. I bought mine in 2003. It was before I found this forum, and if I had known then all the concerns about property that exist, I may well not have done it. But I'm not sorry. I wouldn't be able to afford that house now and it's in not too bad a condition. I have asked myself if I would have still bought it if I had seen it in person - and the answer is probably yes. There are certainly some things that didn't show up in the photos though.

I think if you know the neighbourhood you're buying into, you have a proper building report done and the price is such that if it came to it you could still afford to pay out for some upgrading, it might be worth a shot. Just don't assume it's everything that the agent makes out, and don't expect it to be like a house in your own country.

I know most people will think I'm absolutely mad, but sometimes you have to take a risk. After all, there are people who emigrate without ever having visiting the country. Sure, they can always go back home, and likewise you can also sell the house again. In fact what I wouldn't do is buy a section in a recently subdivided area and have a house built on it, because how would I know what the area would develop into? (Caroline and Dave's is probably the exception to that, but well out of my league unfortunately).

I don't know if I will keep this house, or indeed if I'll stay in NZ, but if nothing else it will have been a good investment. I'm not sure how much property prices are still rising, so that reasoning may not still apply if you're thinking of buying now.

To answer a few of your questions briefly Christine: research on the internet, make offers by fax, ask questions etc by phone/email, transfer money like you would for any other forex transaction. And yes I did get a mortgage in NZ. It was easier than buying in the UK. Please ask if you want any more info.

We all have different priorities and different situations - I'm not recommending this line of action, but if you think it might suit you and you're willing to take a risk, don't be put off by the distance factor.

[willowshouse]

Did you know the area you bought in Jaycee? If not, were you happy with it when you arrived .. was it what you thought it would be? Genuinely interested ... (read 'nosey' ;) )

Dawn

[JulesB]

Chris,
I'm currently in the process of buying in NZ. Luckily, I was able to go out there, found a house and started the process when I was there but without my OH seeing it! He's since seen it and is delighted that I secured the house as soon as I saw it. It was real hard work as you have to deal with so many different agents and can waste a lot of time looking. Believe me, you do need to look or have someone you trust view for you. I'd spent a year on the internet researching and the houses I'd listed to view didn't work at all. Also there's a lot of for sale by owner that aren't on the internet.

Whereabouts are you thinking of buying?
Once we move (in July) I would like to help new immigrants as a sort of buyers assistant similar to what I do here in USA. I know the real estate market works differently in NZ, but I see a role for me helping people like yourself - being your eyes and ears on the ground. I'm a Brit, I've lived all over Europe as well as US so I've lived in plenty of different places and cultures and have a lot of empathy with people such as yourself who are starting a new life and know getting the house right is important.

I'd be happy to try to answer any of your questions and be interested to get some feedback on my plans.
Jules

[Pip]

Hello,

a bit late to the party on this one, but as I've spent the last two weeks house hunting, I thought i might be useful.

Whilst, as we've seen from others posts, it can be done, if you have a choice, - I'd recommend waiting until you arrive. As per previous comments, I've seen some photos which looked great, but the houses didn't hold up in the flesh - but also some houses that looked average, but in reality were much nicer than the photos suggested which I might have discounted otherwise. I also saw one today, which looked good on photos and in reality, but a main road ran behind the very tall tree boundary. Now its not a massively busy road as we're staying locally, but it is quite noisy and I know for a fact that I can get a property thats much quieter for the same money.

Our original plan was to rent for six months and then buy, but after a week of exploring and meeting people who bought within a couple of weeks, we decided to skip the renting stage! and three weeks in are close to putting in an offer on something.

p.s google earth is great for checking on locations! and NZ property websites are good for getting indications on prices for different areas, - but that said, there's nothing like driving around for a couple of weeks, working out commuting distances, access to shops etc..things you enjoy

Good luck with whatever you choose to !

[nickydwuk]

What about renting before seeing? A lot has been said about buying before seeing but has anybody rented before arriving in NZ? This is an option we have been considering. We have dogs and do not want them kept in kennels for too long so it is important we have a house pretty soon after arriving rather than staying in motels. How difficult is it to rent if you are not in the country and what arethe pitfalls - apart from not being able to see the place first?

[sarahw]

Personally I wouldn't rent before I saw a property here - there are some pretty dire properties for rental on the NZ rental market - the majority isn't what I've been used to living in - the company we rented through didn't publish photos so you really had to go & look before renting - we went round quite a few houses with bad damp problems including one that had black ceilings in the bathroom - gross!! In the end we looked at the estate agent & asked if she would live in the house she'd just shown us - she looked blankly at us, but soon got the message & the next house she took us to was in a completely different league & we rented it on the spot. Most rentals are advertised in the newspapers so its unlikely you'll ever see photos unless you're looking at renting through an agent (although we rented through the Professionals & they didn't supply photos on the rental houses).

Because most rentals try & sign you up for 6 month contract I certainly wouldn't sign anything unless I was sure & had seen it - 6 months can be a pretty long time in an unheated damp property through the winter!!

[jubjub]

We lined up a couple of rentals before hubby arrived (we had a dog, so it was a bit harder) arranged viewings for first couple of days in country, we did this via trademe. We then signed once we had seen one we liked.

I have to say I would not commit myself to anything before physically seeing it, or have a very reliable person you trust see it.

[Junnifer USA]

Hello,
We've been in NZ for 2 years. We purchased this home in Kaiapoi, and love it here. I see lots of other immigrants on the forum have choosen Kaiapoi too!

Anyhow, our house is too large for us now. We have 3 sons, and all of them are grown or out of the house. We are downsizing.

Hope it is OK to add the link to our trademe listing. We are selling directly (no realtor) to keep the offering price low. Our neighborhood is gorgeous, and very well located. (Several Brit families in the area.) Kaiapoi is an up-and-coming area. Real estate is expected to continue to do well in this town.

We have priced under current market listings...as we already have a home to move to.

View this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz
listing number 92537964

If your interested, please pm us.

Jen

[KildareKiwi]

As an ex-pat kiwi moving home I wouldn't advise it.

First of all knowledge of where you are moving too is extremely important. Buying from abroad doesn't allow you to check out the neighbourhood, local ammenities, neighbours etc.

If you are new to a particular city I would strongly recommend renting in the short term until you have checked out different areas.

Would be tragic to buy somewhere & have to sell, incurring expensive real estate fees.

Put your house money in the bank - Rabo offers 7.5% on call. BNZ also offering 7.6% (for 6mth term deposit). This should enable you to cover your rent (depending on the size of your deposit) & allow you to do your homework.

Hope this helps.

[Pip]

What about renting before seeing? A lot has been said about buying before seeing but has anybody rented before arriving in NZ? This is an option we have been considering. We have dogs and do not want them kept in kennels for too long so it is important we have a house pretty soon after arriving rather than staying in motels. How difficult is it to rent if you are not in the country and what arethe pitfalls - apart from not being able to see the place first?

Hi,

we were in the same boat (with cat as opposed to dog), and we rented a holiday home for a month that was willing to take animals. This was a good move for us because it had linen, furniture etc etc, which we won't have until our container arrives, and also we figured that if it wasn't great, it was only four weeks and we could find somewhere else during that time. (I found it on the web on a holiday home website and rented it from the UK without seeing it). As luck would have it, the people who are booked in after us have cancelled due to family illness, so now we are staying another month, and realised that 2 months was probably long enough to buy somewhere.

Renting from the UK is a bit of a gamble, but the short term holiday let option might work for you and many take animals. That was you can look for a longer term rental once you arrive and it also saves you carting things like towels, linen, plates etc.. hope that helps !

[jaycee]

Dawn it's fine to be nosey :)

Yes I did know the area - well as much as you can from visiting and reading. That IS different from living there (same can be said about NZ as a whole). This is a small, rural place, therefore easy to learn about - a city is a different matter, it's easy to just turn a corner and feel you're in a totally different place.

So in that sense there was nothing much to worry about in terms of noise, neighbours, surrounding buildings. That's what would have bothered me about buying anywhere else - the pictures of the house may look pretty, but it's hard to tell what's next to it, across the road, etc (as Pip pointed out).

I've lived in some pretty awful places in the UK, tiny and noisy, on busy main roads and opposite/backing onto pubs. Like many people from the UK, what I was looking for was space and privacy - and having both of those is fantastic! So yes, it's mostly what I expected.

[nickydwuk]

Hello,

We have priced under current market listings...as we already have a home to move to.

View this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz
listing number 92537964

If your interested, please pm us.

Jen

Lovely house - a little out of my price range though. How does buying diect from the vendor (ie. through'trademe.co.nz') differ than through an agent? Is it quicker or is there more paperwork to do as there is no agent to act for you? The houses on trade me seem more reasonable in price - is this a good way of buying?

[Junnifer USA]

Hello,

New Zealand has been a bit slow in accepting 'For Sale By Owner' as a method of selling. However, that has been changing in the last couple of years.

Realtors typically charge 5.25 - 6% sales commission rates here. The seller simply builds in the commission to the sale price.

Selling directly is quite simple here...no more complicated than in the US. We just use our local attorney to close on the house. (That part is a lot less paper work than in the US!)

We've listed on Trademe, and have a sign out front. Also, a small advert int he local paper.

We placed the sign on the lawn on Sunday, which is the real estate open house day here...and showed the house wtice within 2 hours. It rained shortly afterwards, so the sign came in and that was the end of the day.

Kaiapoi remains a unique town, 12-15 min to Christchurch, but with a heartbeat and village like center of its own. The other unique feature is it's ocean access and rivers...adding boating and aquatic activity to all the other amenities.

I think the above explains why there is such a positive response to homes here.

Hope this nswers your question.
Jen

[Junnifer USA]

The rest of your question:
No, there is no additional paperwork...but thousands of dollars saved in commission fees. (In our case, over $20,000 that does not have to be added into the sales price.)

And, yes, Trademe can be a great way to find real estate. We have used it for finding a place up in Marlborough sounds...fo retirement.

Just in case you weren't familiar with it, Trademe is the NZ version of Ebay. There is no ebay New Zealand.

[Sam B]

On the renting side of things - we rented this house before we arrived. I contacted all the agents in Cambridge and got them to send me details of all suitable properties, then I got them to send me photos of every room and the outside area, then I looked them up on Google earth, read all the local school reports etc, and phoned up the agent of this house and quizzed her at length, including about any smells, neighbours etc. This house looks exactly like it did in the photos - I had 15 photos in the end, I even knew what the shower looked like. I paid a retainer and deposit before I arrived. I even bought a houselot of furniture off trade me before I arrived and arranged to have it delivered on our first day here. so it can be done, and meant that I had less to do when I arrived.

[Magsnags]

Yes my friend Sarah did and is now in NZ and very happy in the house she bought from afar. She has only just got her internet back on so needs to go on her websityes and change email address's etc so I am sending you a pm which is the reply to your post she sent me.
I'm sure you'll find it helpful.
Maggie

[Lupin]

Sorry I don't have time to read the whole thread as I'm in alibrary but as someone who came here with a view properties in mind as having serious potential, my advice would be DON'T DO IT!!!!!

You might forever wonder "what if" about the missed house but that's better than having broken dreams in a hard to resell dump to move to......I really admire the ingenuity of the estate agents here!

[Junnifer USA]

Hello,

Just as an example, I have viewed a local Kaiapoi, Christchurch area house. It is also listed on Harcourts. On a spectacular peice of land, nice large family home. This is case of a home being even more beautiful in person!

Just another example of internet being accurate. (Of course not every case is like this...but it does explain many successful purchases!)

Harcourts.com listing number: KI061119

Take a look at that!

Jen