With so many different types of houses for sale in New Zealand, it's a good idea to make a list of things which you and/or your family need and want. This can save a lot of time and also means that you will be looking at realistic properties, rather than those which will possibly be out of your price range.

Here's some ideas to get your checklist started:

How much do you have to spend?
Knowing the maximum amount you can spend is a great start to buying any sort of property. Most financial institutions in New Zealand offer pre-approved loans / finance nowadays, which allows you to confirm the amount you have to spend before you find the house of your dreams. It also means that you can look at properties on the net, realty magazines and newspapers which are in your price range.

What is the property going to be used for?
Are you buying this house to live in, rent or base your business out of? Each of these uses can have quite different requirements. If you are looking at purchasing a rental property for instance, you might want something which is easy to maintain both inside & out, whereas if you are going to use the home for your business you might want lots of individual rooms to use as office spaces.

What Area/s Do You Want To Look In?
The area you decide on depends on factors like proximity to schools, work and shops. Looking at houses for sale in both the North and South islands of New Zealand provides many rural and urban options. It may be that you want to stay in the area you are currently in, in which case you have the added benefit of knowing the facilities you have around you.

How Much Land Do You Want To Maintain?
If you aren't a keen gardener, probably best that you don't look at properties with large established gardens and a lot of lawn to mow. The houses which are for sale in rural areas of New Zealand are often on larger sections, whereas those in residential areas tend to have smaller sections which are easier to maintain. The other option is to look at if you can subdivide the property and sell off some of the land. This can be a time consuming and costly option however, so it pays to research your options before you go ahead and make an offer on the property.

How Many Bedrooms Do You Want / Need?
Houses for sale in New Zealand start from one bedroom properties right through to five plus nowadays, and with the majority of real estate web sites providing the option to search by number of bedrooms, making this decision can be advantageous.

What other facilities do you want / need?
Some other features you might like to consider when looking at houses for sale are: the size of the garage - do you want a double garage so you can put both cars away? Would you prefer to have an ensuite? Or would having a separate dining / living space be ideal for your family? This is your opportunity to write a list of 'wants' as well ie. the things which you are going to be a bit more flexible on.

If you plan on staying in your house well into the future, you should be looking for the house which meets your demands. Start your checklist today and if you're still not entirely sure why not talk to a registered agent who will be only too happy to talk over the real estate process with you.