TL;DR — quick checklist with official links

This guide shows how to Sell Your House Privately in NZ, from pricing to settlement, with plain steps and official sources

Ready to set a price range and plan your launch? Get a free agent-backed price estimate.

Is a private sale right for you?

A private sale suits owners who are comfortable meeting buyers, answering questions, and keeping the process moving. Before you list, line up a lawyer to review your agreement and handle the deposit correctly. Then make sure you have the key records buyers will ask for. Your council’s property file and a LIM explain what the council holds on the home.

If your place has tenants, check the rules for selling and the notice required so you can plan your dates properly: Selling a rental property. It’s also wise to consider tax settings before you launch, especially if you’ve owned the home only a short time.

If the checks above feel manageable, you’re ready to Sell Your House Privately in NZ with your lawyer’s help. If you’d rather hand over the marketing and negotiations—or if interest is low after you try—compare options here: Find your top local agent.

Get a quick starting figure you can defend with a FREE Market Property Report, then sense-check it against nearby sales.

What it will cost (and what you could save)

There are two cost paths to compare: using an agent or doing it yourself. Agents usually charge a commission and sometimes marketing fees on top—the official guidance on how fees and commissions work is here: Real estate fees and commissions. If you take the DIY route, you’ll pay for photos, listing, a lawyer or conveyancer, and any reports you choose to order. For plain advice on picking and working with a lawyer, see: Using a lawyer or conveyancer.

A simple way to compare is to price your place, then write two columns. In the agent column, note the likely commission and any marketing. In the DIY column, add your photo package, listing fee, signage, and legal work. Keep a small buffer for extras like building or LIM reports (you’ll talk about these with your lawyer and decide what’s right for your sale).

If you want a deeper look at how commission structures are laid out in practice, read our guide here: Real Estate Agent Commissions. And if you need a quick starting number to run the sums, you can get one here: Get a free price estimate.

How to Sell Your House Privately in NZ — step by step

Start with a simple plan. You’ll set a price range, collect the right records, launch your listing, run viewings, review offers, sign the agreement with your lawyer, work through any conditions, and settle. Keep the language plain with buyers and write dates down as you go.

Step 1 — Set your price range
  Look at recent local sales and what’s on the market now. Before you Sell Your House Privately in NZ, get a starting figure you can defend with a FREE Market Property Report and sense-check it against recent sales near you.

Step 2 — Gather the key records
  Have your council property file and a LIM ready, and check your Record of Title so you understand rights and any restrictions. You’ve already seen what a property file and LIM are in the section above, and you can revisit how a title works here if needed: LIM report in NZ-what it shows and how to order.

Step 3 — Prepare your marketing
  Book good photos, write clear listing copy, and be honest about the home. Note recent work, known issues, and chattels that stay. If the home has had disaster or weather claims, know how to explain that history and what documents you hold.

Step 4 — Launch and manage viewings
  Publish your listing, answer enquiries fast, and schedule open homes. Keep a simple sign-in sheet, share the key documents when asked, and record feedback so you can adjust your price or plan if needed.

Step 5 — Qualify interest and handle questions
  Ask buyers about financing, timing, and any conditions they expect (e.g., a builder’s report or LIM). Keep your lawyer in the loop so you’re ready when an offer comes.

Step 6 — Consider offers (including multi-offer situations)
  Review price, deposit, settlement date, and conditions. If more than one buyer wants to offer, run a fair process and set the same deadline for all parties. Your lawyer will help you keep things clear and in writing.

Step 7 — Sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement
  Use the standard agreement and have your lawyer check it before you sign. This is the contract that sets chattels, conditions, dates, and the deposit.

Step 8 — Go through conditions and go unconditional
  Work through each condition by the due date (for example, finance confirmation, builder’s report, LIM review). When everything is met or waived, the agreement becomes unconditional and the sale is locked in. Your lawyer will handle the deposit and the next steps toward settlement.

Step 9 — Settle and hand over
  On settlement day the balance is paid, the title changes hands, and keys are released as agreed. Do a final check of chattels and meters, and keep copies of all documents for your records.

Documents, forms, and what your lawyer does

Your lawyer prepares or checks the sale and purchase agreement, holds the buyer’s deposit in a trust account, and guides you from offer to settlement. If you want a simple refresher on what the agreement covers (price, chattels, dates, and any conditions).

When an offer is accepted, the deposit is usually paid into your lawyer’s trust account. Those accounts are governed by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Trust Account) Regulations 2008, which set out rules for the handling and reporting of client money. 

Before you sign anything, your lawyer will also need to verify your identity and address. This is required by New Zealand’s anti-money laundering law, which applies to lawyers and conveyancers. You can read the official guidance here: AML-CFT information for lawyers and conveyancers.

To make the paperwork easier, we provide simple, printable tools you can use alongside your lawyer’s advice: an Offer Comparison Sheet, an Open-Home Register, and a Disclosure Checklist. When you draft your agreement, note all chattels that stay with the home, any known issues you’ve disclosed, the deposit amount, the dates for conditions, and the settlement date. Keeping everything clear and in writing helps the deal run smoothly.

Marketing that works in NZ

Good marketing is simple: clear photos, honest copy, and steady follow-up. Book a photographer who can cover a bright daytime shoot and a dusk set if the home suits it. In your description, say what matters most to buyers first (layout, sun, storage, parking, school zones), then the extras (insulation upgrades, recent work, chattels that stay). Keep claims factual and avoid superlatives you can’t back up. The rules on truthful advertising are set out here: Claiming you’re something you’re not.

When you launch, reply to enquiries quickly and offer the key records on request. Run open homes at regular times and keep a simple sign-in. If you collect names, emails or phone numbers, tell people why you’re collecting that information and how you’ll use it, and keep it secure. The Privacy Act principles are explained here: Privacy Act 2020. If you follow up by email or text, make sure you have permission and include an easy way to opt out.

If interest is slow after your first fortnight, adjust your photos, headline and first two lines of the description, and review your price guidance. If you’d rather hand this part over—or you want a wider buyer pool—compare options here: Find your top local agent.

Viewings, offers, and negotiations.

Once your listing is live, reply to enquiries the same day and offer viewing times that suit buyers. Keep a simple log of who visited, what they asked, and any follow-ups you promised. Be honest about the home and share key documents on request. This helps buyers feel confident and reduces back-and-forth later.

During viewings, focus on the basics people care about: light, layout, storage, parking, school zones, recent work, and chattels that stay. If someone asks about issues, answer plainly and point to any reports you have. After each open home, tidy your notes, update your timeline, and decide if you need to adjust your price guide or marketing.

When an offer comes in, look at four things: price, deposit, settlement date, and conditions. Ask your lawyer to check the terms before you sign anything. If more than one buyer is keen, run a transparent process so everyone gets a fair go. Set one deadline, provide the same information to buyers, and keep everything in writing. If the first offer is conditional, keep talking to other buyers until you go unconditional, in case the first deal falls over.

If a buyer asks for changes—like a different settlement date or a lower deposit—write the changes into the offer and initial them. Keep your timeline realistic so you have enough time to meet any conditions, arrange movers, and hand over keys without stress.

Selling with tenants (rules and timelines)

Selling doesn’t end a tenancy on its own. You can sell with the tenant in place, or you can aim for vacant possession. If the buyer requires the home to be empty in the sale contract, the rules differ by tenancy type. For a periodic tenancy, the landlord can end the tenancy with 42 days’ written notice once the agreement is unconditional and requires vacant possession. If you want the property empty before marketing (no buyer yet), you must give 90 days’ written notice to end the tenancy first. A fixed-term tenancy generally can’t be ended early just because you’re selling; you either agree an earlier end with the tenant or sell with the tenancy in place until the term ends.

While the tenancy is in place, viewings and open homes must comply with entry rules. You can’t just arrive with buyers; the law says a landlord must not enter the premises except in specific cases, such as with the tenant’s consent or with proper notice for an inspection. When you’re arranging viewings during a sale, get the tenant’s agreement and set reasonable times.

Plan your dates carefully so that the notice lines up with the contract and your settlement. If you’re unsure which notice applies to your situation (for example, selling with the tenant to another landlord vs. selling with vacant possession), use the official guide above or ask your lawyer to check the exact timing before you sign.

 

Risks, scams, and when to call in the pros

A private sale can run smoothly if you protect the money trail and keep everything in writing. Never send a buyer your personal bank details for the deposit. Ask your lawyer to receive it into their trust account and confirm details with them by phone before any payment is made. If you ever get an email asking you to change your bank details, treat it as suspicious and check it first.

Some homes come with extra risk. If you know or suspect issues like leaks, past water ingress, or unconsented work, be upfront and talk to your lawyer about what to disclose.

If the process becomes complex — for example, you’re fielding many conditional offers, a builder’s report raises major issues, or timing is tight — it can be smart to switch paths so you don’t lose momentum or price strength.

Private sale vs using an agent (honest comparison)

Both paths can work. The right choice comes down to time, comfort with viewings and negotiation, and the complexity of your sale.

A private sale gives you control over timing, marketing, and the back-and-forth with buyers. You’ll handle enquiries, run open homes, and work directly with your lawyer on the agreement and deposit. This path suits a straightforward property, a clear price range, and an owner who can manage follow-ups and keep records tidy. It also keeps costs to the essentials you choose (photos, listing, legal).

An agent-led sale adds reach, daily buyer follow-up, and helps with pricing and negotiation. Agents also manage multi-offer situations and keep dates and documents on track. You’ll pay a commission and may choose paid marketing, but you trade that spend for time saved and a wider buyer pool. If you’re short on time, the home has tricky issues, or you wanta  stronger auction/tender experience, this path is usually the safer option.

How to decide:
  Start by comparing your likely costs and time. Then use the numbers from your shortlist price to make a simple break-even: if an agent could lift your net outcome beyond your DIY estimate after fees, choose the agent; if not, try DIY first with a clear switch point (for example, two weekends of open homes). If you do switch, do it quickly so you don’t lose momentum.

When you’re ready to price your place and plan your launch, you can begin here: Get a free price estimate.

FAQs

How do I Sell Your House Privately in NZ?

Set a price range, prepare key records, launch your listing, run viewings, review offers, sign the agreement with your lawyer, work through conditions, and settle. Keep everything in writing and ask your lawyer to handle the deposit.

Do I need a lawyer, and what do they do?

Yes. A lawyer (or conveyancer) checks your agreement, holds the deposit in a trust account, and manages the transfer on settlement. See plain guidance here: Using a lawyer or conveyancer.

What records should I have ready for buyers?

Have your council property file and, if available, a LIM. These explain consents, plans, and council notes.

Do I have to disclose building issues?

Be upfront about known problems and be ready to share reports.

What if the home has had previous disasters or insurance claims?

Explain the history and what documents you hold. Buyers may ask for details.

Ready to Sell Your House Privately in NZ? Set a sensible range for your home and map the first two weeks of marketing. Start with a real number for your address — How much could your house sell for?.