Markets
Buying and renting a home in New Zealand
- Coverage
- Tier 3: guide and links to local portals
- Prices in
- NZD
- Floor area in
- square metres
Each fact below links to the official page it comes from. We have not finished testing this market yet, so confirm anything important with the source or a local lawyer.
Homes in New Zealand are listed on
Homejourney does not list homes in New Zealand yet. Prices on these sites are in NZD.
Who may buy
Overseas people usually cannot buy a house or land in New Zealand without consent from the Overseas Investment Office.
Source: Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026
A Singapore citizen can buy a house or land with the property category 'residential' or 'lifestyle' without applying for consent. Land that is also sensitive, such as on an island, needs consent unless the buyer is ordinarily resident in New Zealand.
Source: Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026
Purchase taxes
Generally, no GST is charged when a home is bought or sold. It applies only when the seller is GST-registered and sells as part of their taxable activity.
Source: Inland Revenue (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026
Under the bright-line test, profit from selling a home is taxed when it is sold within 2 years of its bright-line start date. A main home is generally excluded.
Source: Inland Revenue (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026
Renting
A bond can be at most 4 weeks' rent, plus at most 2 weeks' rent for a pet bond. The landlord must lodge it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days.
Source: Tenancy Services (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026
Since 30 January 2025, a tenant can end a periodic tenancy with 21 days' notice. A landlord can end one with 90 days' notice without a reason, or 42 days' notice on specific grounds.
Source: Tenancy Services (opens in a new tab) · Checked 11 November 2026