Date: 19th Jun 2025
Most New Zealanders sell their homes through a real estate agency, but private sales are becoming increasingly popular.
Selling your property privately offers advantages in cost and control, but it has some caveats. So what are the pros and cons? And which sales method is best for you? Continue reading our guide on selling privately vs with a realtor to find out more.
Selling your home privately means you take on the work a real estate agent does. Examples include marketing, like listing your property and arranging photos and staging, showing potential buyers around your house, and conducting the final sale.
When you sell privately, you'll still need to work with a professional lawyer or conveyancer for legal matters. These can include drawing up the sale and purchase agreement and transferring the money on the settlement date. You'll also need to ensure you disclose any issues with the property to the purchaser.
Real estate agents typically charge 2.5-3.95% of the sale price as their commission—which can add up to a lot, depending on how much your home is worth. By selling privately, you don't have to pay commission and get to keep more money for yourself. Additionally, you can save on costs by doing DIY staging and photography— though note that a professional approach can do wonders in increasing your home’s value. Watch out for buyers who are introduced to your home by an agent; even if you sell privately, the agency may still be able to claim commission from the sale.
A house is a major part of your life and likely the most expensive thing you'll ever sell, so it's natural to want more control over the sale. Selling privately lets you cut out the middleman and connect with prospective buyers directly. You'll be able to arrange property visits at a time that works for you and negotiate for a final sale price you're happy with.
Just keep in mind that you’ll need to do extensive market research and keep your negotiating skills sharp— many experienced investors go after private sales, believing they’ll get a good deal from sellers who don’t know what their home is really worth.
Your home is where you've lived for years, where you've seen memories made, and maybe even seen your children grow up and out of. No one knows its ins and outs better than you—and buyers love that authenticity when they attend an open home.
By taking charge of your own property sale, you're in the best position to convince potential buyers of your home's worth. Be aware that, like all hard work, this takes a lot of time— you’ll have to research your home’s worth, be proactive in marketing it, and spend your weeknights and weekends showing potential buyers around.
Selling privately might save you money, but ironically, that comes at a price. Handling your own property sale can almost feel like a 2nd job, given how much work and preparation is required. You'll spend hours creating marketing materials, use your weekends hosting open homes, and come back from your job to take care of private viewings and buyer questions. Not only that, but you need to spend extra time researching how to do all these tasks, meaning it'll take even longer to sell your home.
If you're selling your home, you're likely looking for a new house at the same time. The last thing you want is more stress as you try to sell privately. Real estate agents streamline the process by handling the most exhausting parts of the job. They'll take care of the marketing, hold viewings for potential buyers, and negotiate for better prices. Plus, they have experience and access to valuable market knowledge that gives them up-to-date analytics on historical and recent sales in your area.
When you take care of the marketing yourself, you can reach potential buyers via word of mouth or online platforms like TradeMe. However, working with a real estate agent lets you access an even wider audience, as some buyers go straight to a real estate agency specialising in their desired location. For example, Tremains is widely trusted by buyers across the Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Horowhenua, Taupo, and Wairarapa regions.
Selling your home through an agent automatically lends itself to more credibility. Many buyers are more likely to trust real estate agents over private property sellers, meaning you can access more potential offers.
Being your own salesperson can also often mean investing in your appearance and replying promptly to questions to avoid putting buyers off. Plus, you'll have to be very careful about what you say lest you be held liable for something that isn't true; it's essential to disclose any issues with the property to potential buyers before you sell.
If you sell your home without knowing what it's really worth, a better offer might come along right after, and you won't be able to do anything about it. Real estate agents are experienced sellers. They'll understand how much your home is worth and use their strong sales and negotiating skills to get the best price from buyers.
In fact, past data has shown that selling with a professional results in a median sale price that’s 10-13% higher than selling privately, depending on the region. So, even though you have to pay commission fees, you'll still likely get a better deal.
Deciding how to sell your house depends on your priorities. Do you value your time and want to work with an agent who already has expertise in the market? Or do you prefer to potentially get more profit by handling your home sale yourself?
Remember that even though selling privately avoids commission fees, you still have to give up months of your spare time. It's also important to be aware of risks related to legal compliance and underselling.
The main ways to sell houses in New Zealand are auction, tender, deadline, and negotiation.
The time it takes to sell a property depends heavily on which district of New Zealand you're selling in. For example, it typically takes 10.3 weeks to sell a house in Central Hawkes Bay, while it takes only 5.7 weeks in Masterton. Note that this only counts the time spent on the market, not all the preparations leading up to it.
Anyone can sell a property privately, but it can often be trickier than working with an agent. It requires more research and work, and private sellers must have strong communication and negotiation abilities to secure a good deal.
Agents typically charge 2.5-3.95% of the home's final price. Depending on the agency, this might not include administrative, auctioneer, and advertising fees. A good agent will help you ensure your property isn't undersold and negotiate with buyers for the best possible price.
Selling your home privately can be a great choice for some home owners, but for those who prefer the tried and trusted approach, work with a real estate agency that has the expertise. With offices across the North Island, we help sellers reach buyers in towns like Napier, Hastings, Levin, Taupo, and Rotorua.
Talk to a Tremains sales consultant about selling your home or getting a free property appraisal today.
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