How to Buy a NZ Property After Moving to NZ

We are lucky enough to work with and advise a lot of Brits who are in New Zealand, and buying a slice of New Zealand is a key part of settling in.

So when can you stop paying rent and buy a home in NZ?" The answer used to be "As soon as you have arrived and have an employment contract" but the rules changed in Oct 2018.

Now, you need to be on a resident class visa at least AND theoretically you need to have been a resident in NZ for 12 months. We've been able to apply for exemptions to the 12 months requirement with a 100% success rate, albeit at a $2k cost payable to the OIO. However, we can't work around the first requirement on the resident class visa.

All we can do is wait for our clients to get a resident class visa and help them be totally prepared to be mortgage ready, and have them lined up with the best property lawyers that we know.

It's wise to reach out to an expert to plan these things in advance so you can understand the timeframe of when you will be able to buy, how much you will be able to buy for, and which bank is the best fit for you. It’s always good to be armed with knowledge so that you can move forward with confidence, and we want to give you all the advantages possible.