How to invest in New Zealand from Overseas

by Nick Gentle on Apr 25, 2020
Article appears under: About Property Investment, Goal Setting, Your Expert Team

With modern technology available today it is easier than ever to buy a rental property in New Zealand, no matter where you live.

If you live overseas, there are a few extra hoops you need to jump through in order to buy an investment property in New Zealand and you will need some help on the ground. You shouldn't let a little logistics put you off building your financial future, follow the steps in this article to get started on your property portfolio. 

Step 1: Are you legally allowed to purchase a rental property?

Under the Overseas Investment Act 2018 foreign buyers are not allowed to buy most kinds of residential investment property in New Zealand. There are some exceptions; the rule does not apply to Australian or Singaporean citizens and some new build developments are allowed to be sold to foreign buyers.

Step 2: Do you have finance in place?

Our first conversation with you will be about your property goals and in order make a plan we need to know your budget, so confirming lending approval is an important first step. 

If you have an existing relationship with a broker or bank, please contact them to request a loan pre-approval. 

If you do not have a relationship with a bank or broker we will introduce you to one to help you get set up when you speak with us in the next step.

Note: It is important that your broker has a strong understanding of property investment. We work with a select group who have delivered consistent results over the years for our clients. 

Step 3: Welcome call with iFindProperty & Documentation

We schedule a short call to discuss your property goals and explain how our buyers agency service works. You will learn the process and costs you are likely to incur when purchasing a New Zealand rental property and it is your chance to ask any questions. 

At this time we will help you to complete the buyers agency agreement and other documentation we require to be able to start working for you. 

If you do not have a relationship with a property accountant we will refer you to one s you get set up correctly. 

Step 5: The Property Search 

Your iFindProperty agent will search the local market for properties that meet the criteria you have agreed on. Our team are professional investors and uncover opportunities while avoiding properties that will be difficult to rent (a common trap for out of town investors).

We help clients execute due diligence and understand that this will vary by client and property. Whatever investigation is required we will be your "man on the ground" to get it done on time and the industry contacts we will introduce to you to help are all established professionals in their fields. 

Step 6: Ongoing

Once you have settled on the property your property manager will take over (we will introduce a good) or perhaps the builder or project manager we introduced during due diligence. Very soon you will be ready to buy again. 

How to Apply

In order for us to fully focus on you, we only work with a select few clients at any one time. Please email us through the below form to register your interest. We will be in touch to discuss the next steps.