What do you want in a home

Searching for and shortlisting properties is one of the first things you'll be doing. To do this, you'll need to form a view of what you want.

Look around to see what you like

Start your search and shortlist by taking a drive or walk around neighborhoods you're interested in. Pay attention to what you like and dislike about each area. Visit a few open homes with an open mind to get a feel for the types of properties that suit you and those that don’t. Over time, you’ll start to form a sense of what you must have, should have, and could have in a home. A rough idea is perfectly fine at this stage.

You can also browse property websites like Trademe Property and homes.co.nz to get a sense of what’s on the market, what properties are selling for, and help you better understand the current property market. This will help you refine your views as you continue your search.

Write down what you must and could haves.

Once you’ve figured out what you want, write it down in bullet points. This list will serve as a helpful guide throughout your search. It might change as you go, and that’s totally fine. However, as you keep looking and properties don’t meet your needs or are out of your price range, you might feel the urge to compromise.

I have mixed feelings on this—sometimes, you may genuinely need to adjust your expectations. But, in other cases, stand firm. This is your biggest purchase yet, and you'll likely spend a lot of time in this home over the next few years, so don’t settle for less than what’s important to you.

Also, remember to write down why each point is on your list. It’s a great way to reflect on what’s truly important, and it’ll help if you ever need to reassess or remove something from the list.

This is how I wrote mine:

Jay's first home property shortlist

• Less than 5 minutes' walk to rapid public transit

  • Because I spent 1.5hrs going to work each way in the city and never want to experience that ever again.

  • So I can drink with mates on Friday night and not pay for overpriced Ubers home because buses still run.

• A big garage or basement

  • Because I like DIY and enjoy my car, so want a secure storage area.

• Elevated

  • Because I want plenty of natural light

  • To reduce risk of flooding

• 400sqm - 600sqm land

  • Some land to create a buffer with the neighbours

  • Not too much to reduce the lawn mowing

• 3-4 Bedrooms

  • So, we can plan for the future family

With this shortlist, you can quickly start