Do your homework when looking for a property

Buyers’ agent Stephen Hart, author of Where to live in Auckland, says do your homework before shopping for a home. "Like anything in life," he says, "the people who do the most groundwork get the best properties at the best prices.

"It is a serious business and requires a serious investment in time. People have to accept if they do the bare minimum, they are more likely to make a mistake than if they commit themselves to the whole project."

The information is out there. Before going to the open homes, look up the Quotable Value New Zealand site or local authority sites. The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand has tips for buyers and sellers at www.reinz.co.nz, as do sites like Hart’s www.aucklandhomefinders.co.nz.

Don’t get stuck in a neighbourhood

"A lot of people feel inertia to stay in a given area, sometimes for irrational reasons. It may be familiar, but neighbourhoods change all the time. They become fashionable, then become less fashionable," Stephen says.

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