Engage your lawyer before you sign the agency agreement, not after the property is on the market.
What happens at this step
You decide to sell. The first conversation should be with a lawyer, not just a real estate agent. The lawyer flags any title issues, unconsented work, or cross lease defects that need fixing before going to market. Issues fixed pre-listing cost a fraction of issues fixed during a buyer's due diligence.
What NZ Legal does
We open the file, run AML, send a fixed-fee quote, pull your Record of Title, and run a pre-listing health check. We flag anything that needs fixing or disclosing. We stand by ready to review the agency agreement.
What you do
Send us ID, address verification, and the property address. Tell us about any renovations or building work since you bought, and whether council consent was obtained.
Common pitfalls
- Going to market with a defective title. Buyers walk away or hammer the price.
- Signing the agency agreement before the lawyer has reviewed it. Some agency agreements have onerous fees and exclusivity terms.
- Not disclosing known issues. The Property Law Act and the standard SPA carry disclosure consequences.
