How much does it cost to buy a house in NZ? The full list
Published 6 September 2026
More than the deposit. For a straightforward purchase, budgeting around $5,000 to $10,000 on top of it is a sensible starting point — legal fees, reports, valuation, moving and insurance set-up. Some buyers will need more.
If your deposit is under 20%, you may also face extra lending costs. If you’re buying a new build or a more complex property, the costs can be higher again.
Figures below are indicative 2026 estimates. Actual costs vary significantly by council, provider, location and property — get quotes, don’t rely on averages.
The cost nobody budgets for
Before the itemised list, the one that catches people out most.
Some costs are per property, not per purchase. A LIM and a building report are ordered for a specific house. If you miss out at auction, or the deal falls through during due diligence, that money is gone — and you may need to spend it again on the next one.
Two or three rounds of due diligence can easily add thousands of dollars before you finally buy. Some mortgage brokers report buyers in competitive markets spending $2,000 to $3,000 on properties they never end up owning. That can happen, especially where several properties require separate reports.
Budget for it. Treat your first round of LIM and building report costs as a real line item, and assume you may need another.
The full list
Before you buy — per property
| Cost | Indicative range (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LIM report | $250–$600 or more | Set by each council, and urgent service can cost considerably more. What a LIM tells you → |
| Building inspection | $500–$1,000 | More for large or complex houses, or if you add specialist testing such as moisture or meth testing. What it covers and misses → |
| Lawyer reviewing auction documents | A few hundred dollars per property | If you’re bidding at auction, your lawyer should review the contract, title and available property information before you bid. |
At purchase — once
| Cost | Indicative range (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Legal fees (conveyancing) | $1,200–$3,000 or more | A lawyer or conveyancing practitioner reviews the agreement, checks title and handles settlement. Most buyers use professional legal assistance. |
| Disbursements | $300–$600 or more | Third-party costs your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner pays and passes on, such as LINZ registration and search fees, identity checks and other transaction costs. |
| Registered valuation | $600–$1,000 | Only if your lender requires one. It can be more common where the property or lending falls outside standard criteria. |
| Low-equity premium or margin | Varies | If your deposit is under 20%, you may face a low-equity premium, margin, higher interest rate or other lender charge. How lending rules work → |
| Lender fees | Varies | Some standard bank loans may have no separate lender fee, while non-bank or specialist lending can involve additional charges. Ask. |
At settlement and after
| Cost | Indicative range (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| House insurance | Get a quote | Highly property-specific — location, age, construction, sum insured and natural-hazard risk all affect the cost. Your lender will generally require insurance to be in place by settlement. |
| Moving | $500–$2,000 | Depends on how far, how much and whether you use professional movers. |
| Rates | Apportioned at settlement | You may need to reimburse the seller for rates they have already paid covering a period after settlement. Your lawyer calculates the adjustment. |
| Body corporate levies | Varies | Units and apartments only. Find out the current levies and any known increases before you offer, not after. |
| First-year maintenance | Allow a buffer | You may face repairs and maintenance shortly after moving in. |
One distinction worth knowing
Your bank deposit and the sales deposit aren’t necessarily the same thing.
The bank deposit is the equity you contribute toward the purchase — the 10% or 20% your lender cares about. The sales deposit is the amount you pay to the seller under the Sale and Purchase Agreement, often around 10%, and the agreement determines when it’s due.
They often overlap, but not always. Your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner will explain how it works for your specific agreement.
What you don’t pay in New Zealand
There is no general stamp duty here. There is no general residential-property transfer tax of the type buyers may encounter overseas.
You’ll still have transaction-related costs such as LINZ registration and search fees, normally handled through your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner.
A lot of overseas property guides assume stamp duty or similar charges, so they can overstate the upfront costs of buying in New Zealand. That doesn’t make buying here cheap. The other costs still add up quickly.
A worked example
$700,000 house, 10% deposit.
| Deposit | $70,000 |
| Legal and disbursements | $2,200 |
| LIM (one property) | $400 |
| Building report (one property) | $700 |
| Valuation (bank required it) | $900 |
| Moving | $1,500 |
| First insurance premium | $1,500 |
| Total cash needed in this example | ~$77,200 |
Now add a second round of due diligence on a property you missed out on — another LIM and building report: ~$78,300.
If the deposit is under 20%, there may also be a low-equity premium, margin, higher interest rate or other lending cost.
The point isn’t the exact figure. Yours will differ. The point is that “I’ve saved my deposit” and “I have enough cash to buy” are two different statements, and the gap between them can be real money.
Where KiwiSaver fits
If you’re using a KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal, that money is intended to help fund the purchase and deposit. It’s paid directly to your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner’s trust account for the transaction, not to you.
It shouldn’t be treated as a general pot for legal fees, reports, moving or insurance.
Timing matters too: processing commonly takes around 10 working days or longer once your provider has everything, so start early. How the KiwiSaver withdrawal actually works →
What to actually do
Add a cash buffer on top of your deposit target. For a straightforward purchase, $8,000 is a useful starting point. More if you’re under 20% or buying a new build.
Keep a separate due-diligence fund. $1,500 to $2,500 can be a useful starting point if you’re actively bidding, with the expectation that you may need to spend it more than once. Don’t let a missed auction wipe out your settlement money.
Get your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner’s quote in writing and ask what’s excluded. The difference between two quotes can come from disbursements, transaction complexity and extra work.
Ask about body corporate levies before you offer on a unit or apartment, not after. They’re ongoing and can be significant.
Sort insurance before settlement day, not on it. Your lender will generally require proof, and some properties — coastal, flood-prone, older — can be harder or more expensive to insure than you’d expect.
This article is general information only, not financial advice. Costs vary by region, provider and property — get current quotes for your own situation.
Official sources
- Settled.govt.nz — costs of buying a home
- Your council’s LIM fee schedule — for the current fee and turnaround
- Your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner — for a written quote covering fees and disbursements
- Your lender — for valuation requirements and any low-equity charges
Common questions
How much money do you need to buy a house in NZ beyond the deposit?
For a straightforward purchase, budgeting around $5,000 to $10,000 on top of your deposit is a sensible starting point. Some buyers will need more — especially if the deposit is under 20%, the property needs extra due diligence, or it's a new build. That covers legal fees, a LIM report, a building inspection, a valuation if your lender requires one, moving and insurance set-up. Money spent on properties you don't end up buying can add thousands more.
Is there stamp duty when buying a house in New Zealand?
No. New Zealand has no general stamp duty or equivalent transfer tax on residential property purchases. You'll still have transaction-related costs such as LINZ registration and search fees, normally handled through your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner.
What are legal fees for buying a house in NZ?
Indicative conveyancing costs for a standard residential purchase are around $1,200 to $3,000 or more in 2026, depending on the firm and the complexity. On top of that come disbursements — third-party costs your lawyer or conveyancing practitioner pays and passes on, such as LINZ charges, identity checks and searches — which typically add a few hundred dollars. Always ask what a quote includes.
Do I pay for a LIM and building report on every house I look at?
Only on properties where you decide to do due diligence. But they're generally per-property costs, and they're not refunded if you miss out at auction or the deal falls through. Two or three rounds of due diligence can easily add thousands of dollars before you finally buy. Budget for it as part of the process.
Are there ongoing costs I should budget for after settlement?
Yes, and they start immediately. Council rates, house insurance, and any body corporate levies if it's a unit or apartment. Your lender will generally require insurance to be in place at settlement. Many buyers also face maintenance costs in the first year that a rental never exposed them to.