Before you make an offer
Most first-home buyers purchase through a real estate agent acting for the vendor. The agent will often prepare the sale and purchase agreement. Even when a standard form is used, its terms and any additional clauses can have significant consequences if they are not appropriate for your circumstances.
Our Property team can review the proposed agreement, explain its effect and advise on the protections appropriate to you. This is particularly important when buying at auction, where a successful bid will usually create an unconditional agreement.
Understand what you are buying
The house itself is only part of the picture. A property may carry legal or practical issues that are not obvious at an open home or on paper. The type of title and the property documents can also affect how you use, alter or later sell the home.
We can explain what the documents mean for you, identify matters that require closer attention and let you know when advice from another specialist may be appropriate. The earlier you involve a lawyer, the more opportunity you have to make an informed decision before the agreement becomes unconditional.
Plan how the purchase will be funded
It is important to work out early how the deposit and the balance of the purchase price will be paid. A financial adviser or mortgage broker can assist with bank finance, but legal advice also matters when KiwiSaver funds or financial help from family will form part of the purchase.
These arrangements can affect the timing and structure of the transaction and may raise issues beyond the finance itself. We can guide you through the legal process and help ensure that any family contribution is clearly understood and appropriately documented, reducing the risk of uncertainty or costly disputes later.
