Generally, only residents and citizens can buy residential property in New Zealand, but there are some exceptions. Find out if you are eligible to buy property in New Zealand on the New Zealand Now website.
Can an American rent property in New Zealand? You can rent in New Zealand as long as you have legal standing in the country. This typically means having either a temporary visa (for work, study or business) or a permanent residence visa if you're planning to stay long-term.
The key restriction for non-resident buyers, including Americans, is on purchasing existing residential properties. The Overseas Investment Act generally prohibits non-residents from buying existing homes. However, you can invest in new housing developments and certain types of commercial real estate.
Overseas people usually cannot buy a house or land in New Zealand. If you have a residence class visa but you are not yet 'ordinarily resident', you can buy or build one home to live in as long as you get consent from Toitū Te Whenua before you buy. You can apply for pre-approval that lasts up to a year.
To live in New Zealand permanently, you need a resident visa. There are a number of pathways to obtaining a resident visa, many of which start with a temporary visa allowing you to work, study or own a business in New Zealand.
Generally, only residents and citizens can buy residential property in New Zealand, but there are some exceptions. Find out if you are eligible to buy property in New Zealand on the New Zealand Now website.
Renting in New Zealand is typically done through private landlords (or their property managers) and you can find many listings online. If you're looking for something specific, you may also consider working with a real estate agent, but that's not very common.
The top websites to do this are: Trade Me Property. Realestate.nz. One Roof. homes.nz. Real Estate Agent Websites (Ray White, Barfoot and Thompson, Century 21, Crockers etc.) Facebook groups.
Renting in New Zealand is typically done through private landlords (or their property managers) and you can find many listings online. If you're looking for something specific, you may also consider working with a real estate agent, but that's not very common.
The top websites to do this are: Trade Me Property. Realestate.nz. One Roof. homes.nz. Real Estate Agent Websites (Ray White, Barfoot and Thompson, Century 21, Crockers etc.) Facebook groups.