10 Questions Every First Home Buyer Should Ask Before Choosing a Suburb
A free guide for New Zealand first home buyers. Each question covers why it matters, where the answer can be found for free, and what to watch out for.
Prepared by Chris Thompson, financial adviser at Guardian Smith
Every First Home Buyer
Should Ask
Flood & natural hazards
School zones & transport
LIM, title & consents
Ten questions, one suburb decision
Choosing a suburb is about more than the house. These are the areas the guide walks through, so you can see where you are already well informed and where a closer look could help.
Recent sales
What properties have actually sold for, and how asking prices compare with sale prices.
Days on market
How quickly homes sell, and what a short or long wait can say about buyer demand.
Natural hazards
Flood and hazard risk, and how it can affect insurance and resale appeal.
School zones
Which zones apply to a property, and how zoning can influence demand and value.
Transport and commute
Public transport options, and what the commute is really like at peak time.
Nearby development
Planned and underway development, and how it can change an area over a few years.
Government schemes
Which first home buyer schemes may apply, and where to check the current settings.
Rates and ongoing costs
Council rates and other costs of owning a home beyond the mortgage repayments.
Population and demographics
Who lives in the suburb today, and how that mix is changing.
LIM, title and consents
What council, title and consent records can reveal before an offer is made.
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Chris is a qualified financial adviser, operating under Guardian Smith's Financial Advice Provider licence (FSP1002543), individual adviser registration FSP1012174.
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Prefer to talk it through first?
This guide is a starting point, and not every question applies to every purchase. If a few areas still feel unclear, that is normal this early on.
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