The buying process with McGuire Real Estate
Are you ready to buy your dream home? Here’s our quick guide to cruising through the process and minimising the hassle:
We’ve put together a comprehensive buying guide to give you an easy step by step buying process.
McGuire Real Estate's New Zealand home buying guide
Step 1: Sort your finances
- Check your budget: Look at your income, expenses, and savings to work out what you can afford. You’ll need a deposit (usually 20% of the property price) plus funds for mortgage repayments, council rates, and maintenance.
- Get pre-approval: Visit a bank or mortgage broker to get pre-approved for a loan. McGuire Real Estate can connect you with trusted brokers to confirm your borrowing capacity, giving you confidence when making offers.
- Explore first home options: If you’re a first-time buyer, you might qualify for KiwiSaver HomeStart grants or First Home Loans. McGuire Real Estate can point you to sorted.org.nz or govt.nz to check eligibility.
Step 2: Build your support team
- Hire a lawyer: Find a lawyer or conveyancer to review contracts and handle settlement. McGuire Real Estate can recommend experienced property lawyers to keep things straightforward.
- Work with McGuire: McGuire Real Estate’s licensed agents will guide you through finding properties, making offers, and negotiating. You can verify their credentials on rea.govt.nz.
- Add other experts: Need a building inspector or valuer? McGuire Real Estate can suggest reliable professionals to complete your team
Step 3: Find the right property
- List your needs: Note down what you want in a home, like the number of bedrooms or location. Share your priorities with McGuire Real Estate, and they’ll create a tailored property list for you.
- Browse listings: Explore McGuire Real Estate’s listings here. Our agents arrange open homes or can organise private viewings to suit your schedule.
- Research thoroughly: McGuire Real Estate helps you get a Land Information Memorandum (LIM), title search, and building reports to check for issues like weather tightness problems.
Step 4: Understand the sale process
- Know the sale types: Properties may sell through private treaty (negotiated price), auction, tender, or deadline sale. McGuire Real Estate explains each method so you know what to expect.
- Learn the paperwork: McGuire Real Estate provides the REA’s Sale and Purchase Agreement Guide (available in multiple languages) and clarifies key terms before you sign.
- Handle multiple offers: If there’s competition, McGuire Real Estate will guide you on crafting a strong offer or bid to improve your chances.
Step 5: Make an offer
- Prepare your offer: McGuire Real Estate works with you and your lawyer to draft a Sale and Purchase Agreement, including the price, conditions (like finance or LIM approval), and settlement date.
- Conditional or unconditional: Not sure whether to make a conditional offer (with conditions like finance) or an unconditional one? McGuire Real Estate explains the options to help you decide.
- Submit and negotiate: McGuire Real Estate submits your offer and negotiates with the seller’s agent to secure the best terms for you.
Step 6: Meet the Conditions
- Complete checks: McGuire Real Estate coordinates with your lawyer and other professionals to fulfill conditions, like getting final loan approval or reviewing LIM reports.
- Go unconditional: Once conditions are met, your lawyer confirms the agreement is binding. McGuire Real Estate ensures everything stays on track.
- Pay the deposit: McGuire Real Estate guides you through paying the deposit (typically 5-10% of the price) into their trust account.
Step 7: Prepare for settlement
- Handle legal details: Your lawyer prepares transfer documents and mortgage registration. McGuire Real Estate stays in touch to keep things moving smoothly.
- Final inspection: McGuire Real Estate arranges a last check of the property to ensure it’s in the agreed condition.
- Get ready: McGuire Real Estate reminds you to arrange insurance and have funds ready for settlement day.
Step 8: Settle and move in
- Settlement day: Your lawyer transfers the remaining funds, and the property becomes yours. McGuire Real Estate coordinates with all parties for a seamless process.
- Collect the keys: McGuire Real Estate hands over the keys once settlement is confirmed, usually on the day, unless otherwise agreed.
- Move in: McGuire Real Estate offers tips for setting up utilities and organizing your move, so you’re ready to settle in.
Why Choose McGuire Real Estate?
- Friendly guidance: McGuire Real Estate’s agents are there to support you with clear, helpful advice at every step.
- Great connections: From lawyers to inspectors, McGuire’s network of professionals makes the process easy.
- Helpful resources: McGuire Real Estate directs you to settled.govt.nz and rea.govt.nz for extra guides and tools to stay informed.
The process typically takes 3-4 weeks after your offer is accepted, depending on the sale type and conditions. With McGuire Real Estate, you’re in good hands!
Properties for sale
172 Gladstone Road
- Deadline Sale (5.30pm, 1 July 2025)
107 Jones Road
- Expressions of Interest
Townhouses/19 Winchester Street
- Starting from $575,000
L/169 St Asaph Street
- $1,265,700
A word from the community
Our client reviews
"We want to express our appreciation for the way you took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for in a new home. It made all the difference to know that you were mindful of the details. Our trust in your ability grew quickly, and we were over the moon when you found this home. It is right for us in every way.
Thank you!"
Thank you!"
"Tim was very helpful and professional in selling my property. He presented all the information and surrounding valuations in detail. He planned the method of sale to the best advantage and got all the dates lined up with current events in mind so that everything worked out smoothly for a good sale. During it all his grounded, positive approach helped keep me calm. I was delighted."
"Choosing a smaller operator to sell our much loved property wasn’t a step we took lightly. However, we were delighted with the systems Tim used and his dedication to the task.
Possibly the hardest working agent we have experienced and willing to go the extra mile for both sides of the equation. He achieved a great outcome for us and will for anyone that makes the wise decision to use his experience and methods to sell their property."