Here in the North Island of New Zealand, we’re incredibly lucky to have an extensive range of rural properties across a variety of landscapes and locations.

In other words, there will always be something to suit what you’re looking for when it comes to buying a rural property. 

But with so much on offer, it can be overwhelming and sometimes challenging to understand which is the right choice for you. So to help you out, here’s seven things to consider when buying rural land in Auckland Region and the wider North Island.    

Define what you’re looking for

This process involves asking yourself (and your family and/or business partners) plenty of questions, in order to establish exactly what you’re looking for. Rural real estate covers things, from pastoral farming to vacant rural land, bush blocks and everything in between.

So what is going to be the right choice for your situation? What will the property ideally look like, and what are your non-negotiables, as well as your compromises? Think about your budget of course, but how close do you want to be to amenities and what goals are you aiming to achieve in one year, and also in five years time?

Be realistic, practical and ensure you not only look at the positives, but the potential challenges of your move. It will help manage expectations.   

Gain an understanding of each region

Across the North Island you’ll find some areas do certain things exceptionally well. That could be to do with the climate, the soil type, landscape, typography etc, and you need to understand which region will provide you with the best opportunities for what you’re looking to accomplish. 

While they are not wildly different (for example, you’ll find dairy farms in most regions of the North Island), it is still important to know the characteristics of a location before you decide it is the right option for you.  

Sort your finances 

There are significantly different lending requirements for buying a farm, as opposed to a residential property, so you’ll need the services of a lender experienced in all aspects of purchasing a farm. There may also be options for farm leasing as well, or equity partnership. Make sure you know all the options available so you can get really clear on what’s possible.  

A banker or lender who understands rural financing will be able to help you with lending processes, and how it will be structured. So find one you trust and feel confident dealing with. 

Always do your due diligence

It is absolutely critical to have a lawyer to assist you and that you carefully work through all aspects of the farm offering. There is a lot that goes into purchasing a farm, and it’s important to go through each step.  

You may need to speak to the local council and check consents, compliance, zoning etc, understand about water consents and supply agreements, discuss current contract agreements, vehicle access, irrigation, protected areas, easements, boundaries - the list goes on. 

Be thorough, take your time and don’t feel pressured into making decisions unless you know you have the complete picture of what you might be buying. 

Choose to partner with a reputable real estate agent

It’s not only vendors who have access to real estate agents - buyers can use them too! Touch base with a professional and experienced agent in the region you’re looking to buy, and ask them to help you with your search. They will have in-depth knowledge of what’s available, great advice on what kind of property to purchase, as well as a wide network of connections. They may be able to help you secure a property before it even goes to market!   

Complete a thorough pre-purchase inspection

Before making an offer on a farm or rural property, make sure you undertake a pre-purchase inspection. Depending on the type of property, there will be various things that should be covered, but may include: 

• Checking there is good accessibility for machinery, vehicles and other equipment. 
• Condition of the home and buildings - that they are up to standard and where required, have consent. 
• Is there satisfactory compliance for waste, discharge and effluent. 
• Ensure you have water rights for rivers, dams, irrigations and springs. 
• Contracts with farm employees - are they in place and what would your responsibilities be to them if you became the owner? Are working conditions compliant with ACC and H&S?  
• What chattels are included and are there any discrepancies of what is written in the contract of sale as to what is onsite?

Plan for settlement day 

Once you’ve run all of your checks, with the assistance of a lawyer and any relevant experts, and you’ve signed on the dotted line. The final step is putting a plan in place for settlement day and handover of the property. 

It may seem obvious, but it’s considering details such as are you able to move in straight away and if not - how will the farm continue to run without you there for a few weeks/months. Will you need to have any funds available for improvements/changes you’re wanting to make immediately, and what about a safety net for unexpected costs? 

Will there be a settling in period with your new employees, or time needed to hire new ones? And how will you manage the workload while you adjust to the change in routine and environment, while meeting suppliers and other external parties who could be vital to the day-to-day running of the property? Making a list of all of these kinds of scenarios could help you be a lot more organised and prepared for your new life on a fantastic new farm. 

Did you know we have offices in Pukekohe and Wellsford to serve the greater Auckland region? And along with 24 locations across the North Island, we also have new offices in Dannevirke, Masterton and Waipukurau. So no matter where you’re looking to buy, we’ll always have a professional, right there on the ground, who can help.