The selling process, step by step

Selling a home in New Zealand follows a clear sequence. Knowing the steps helps you judge whether a salesperson is running a proper process, and stops small delays from turning into lost buyers.

Appraisal

A licensed salesperson appraises the property by inspecting it and comparing it with recent sales of similar homes. A good appraisal shows you those comparable sales, explains the differences, and gives an opinion of likely selling price. It is free and carries no obligation. It is not a registered valuation. If a bank later needs a registered valuation on a purchase, that is a separate report ordered and paid for in that transaction.

Use the appraisal meeting to ask about method of sale, marketing cost, photography, open home schedule, and what the salesperson would change about the property before launch. If two appraisals differ widely, ask both people to walk you through the sales they relied on.

Agency agreement

Before marketing starts you sign an agency agreement. It sets the fee, the marketing contribution if any, the method of sale, the appraisal range or price guidance, and whether the agency is sole or general. Sole agency is common for a marketed campaign. Read the cancellation terms. The Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and the Code of Conduct sit behind every licensed salesperson's obligations to you.

Preparation and marketing

Once the agreement is signed, preparation and marketing run together: photography, floor plans, online listing, signage, and open homes or private viewings. Buyers will ask for the record of title, any LIM, consent documents and answers about work done on the property. Incomplete answers slow people down. Clear disclosure early is better than a surprise that collapses an offer later.

Offers and negotiation

Offers usually arrive on the standard ADLS agreement for sale and purchase, often with conditions such as finance, a builder's report, or sale of the buyer's own property. Your salesperson presents every offer and explains the conditions. Your solicitor should review the agreement before you sign. You can accept, reject, or counter. In a multi-offer situation, the process should be explained to you in writing so every buyer is treated fairly.

An auction follows auction terms instead of a normal conditional offer path. If the property sells under the hammer, the buyer is bound on auction terms. If it is passed in, negotiation afterwards usually returns to a standard agreement.

Going unconditional

When the buyer's conditions are satisfied or waived, the agreement becomes unconditional. The deposit is typically paid to the stakeholder named in the agreement at the point required by the contract. From then, both sides are committed to settle on the settlement date unless the agreement says otherwise.

Settlement

On settlement your solicitor and the buyer's solicitor exchange documents and funds. Keys are released according to the agreement, usually once funds are confirmed. Rates, body corporate levies if any, and water charges are apportioned. After settlement, the sale can be reported as sold. Until then, treat price chatter in the market as incomplete.

What good communication looks like

Through the campaign you should know how many people viewed the property, what feedback came back about price and condition, and what your salesperson recommends next. Silence is not a strategy. Neither is pressure to cut the price without evidence from comparable sales or buyer feedback.

This is general information about the New Zealand selling process. It is not advice for a particular property or contract. For anything that turns on your title, your disclosure duties, tax, or the wording of an agreement, speak to your solicitor or accountant.