Renting or buying a home in New Zealand
What to know when you rent, who can buy at all, the steps to buy, and where to find real prices.
✓ Checked against the sources: October 2026⚠️ This isn't legal or financial advice. Use an independent lawyer for any purchase.
Renting
- Bond: at most 4 weeks' rent. The landlord must lodge it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days.
- Rent in advance: at most 2 weeks.
- Landlords can't charge tenants letting fees or key money.
- Don't send money before you've seen the place and have a contract.
Source: Tenancy Services: Charging a general bond · Tenancy Services: Lodging a bond · Tenancy Services: Charging rent · Tenancy Services: Letting fees and key money
Who can buy a home
Overseas people usually can't buy a house or land in New Zealand. Citizens can buy without restriction. Resident visa holders can buy without consent if they are ordinarily resident: at least 12 months on a resident visa and more than 183 days in New Zealand in the last 12 months. Work and student visa holders can't buy. Resident visa holders who don't meet those conditions yet can buy one home with consent first.
Source: LINZ Overseas Investment Office: Buying a home to live in
🔒 2 more sections in this guide
- 🏠 Buying
- 📊 Real prices
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