Checklist for selling your home
Selling your home can be life changing, and often, unexpectedly complex. Your knowledge of what's required of you at each stage of the process will help pave the way.
Knowledge is your power so use our checklist and free advice below - it will protect you.
RELIANCE ON YOUR AGENT'S COMPETENCY
You will be heavily reliant on your real estate agent's integrity, knowledge, competency and advice, requiring you to make decisions, often under time pressure. You need an expert to help people buy your home. (Don't gamble with this decision.)
They will need to liaise with your lawyer and your buyer's lawyer along with mortgage brokers, banks, insurance companies, building inspectors, councils, body corporates or Trustees.
The process of selling your home may be uncomplicated at your end but not so on the buyer's side. It's rarely plain sailing like the old days in real estate when less compliance was required.
Need help from an independent real estate advisor? Call 0800 789 532 - free service NZ-wide.
YOUR SIGNATURES ARE OFTEN REQUIRED
These are some important examples requiring your signatures for conditions of sale, clauses and deadlines to be added, deleted or amended:
- agency listing agreements
- marketing, photos and advertising plans
- methods of sale amendments
- sale and purchase agreements including deposits
- Settlement agreements
Confirming deadlines and meeting conditions of sale written into the sale and purchase agreement within the agreed period is often a race for time and when the competencies of your real estate agent are really tested.
Skipping signatures from vendors is not uncommon and all the more reason why engaging a suitable real estate agent is imperative.
You need to choose an agent you can trust to appraise your property accurately, interpret legal descriptions and has knowledge of the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 - for both buyers and sellers. This will largely be dependent on the real estate agency they work for and the standards of agent recruitment they have.
Use a vetted real estate agent you can have confidence in. Find out more
LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME
Selling your home in New Zealand is a legally binding process from signing an agency agreement with a real estate company to a sale and purchase agreement with a buyer and subsequent settlement of the sale.
Understanding of property documents like Titles, LIMS (Land Information Memorandum) and PIMS (Property Information Memorandum) that need to be sought and interpreted, along with compliance documents completed.
Your property lawyer should advise you about these and any issues requiring attention.
If you need help finding a property lawyer near you, we can send you a list - request here
HOW TO GET THE BEST SALE PRICE
Attracting a premium price when selling your home will rely on:
- The preparation you do to the interior presentation and exterior of your property.
- Understanding what the whole process entails and the decisions you will need to be properly informed about.
- Objectively choosing the most qualified, licensed real estate agent (and agency) to conduct the sale of your property - head over heart.
- The accuracy of your free real estate appraisal and your careful scrutiny of it.
- Knowing how to sell a house quickly without compromising your sale price. Often the highest sale price is achieved in the first four weeks.
We've helped thousands of Kiwis to prepare for and navigate the process of selling their properties since 2009 and know that our advice will help you to achieve an optimum result, price-wise and time-wise.
Page updated June 14, 2025 by Trish Willis | Member of Property Institute of NZ (IPAC)