Buying and selling a house: your questions answered

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 33

Buying and selling a house: your questions answered

“The Press” Home Buyers’ Seminar gives home owners and prospective home owners a unique opportunity to gather information on every aspect of buying and selling a home.

The two seminars are being held at the Civic Regency on July 19 and 20 and are entitled “First Home Buyers” and “Your Next Home.” They have been organised by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand and sponsored by “The Press.”

The seminars are being held as a pilot scheme and are a first for New Zealand. If the response is good, more will be held in other centres.

A panel of speakers will talk for about 10 — 12 minutes each and then there will be an opportunity to ask questions. The speakers are Peter Cook, Real Estate Institute; Roger Hallinan, Valuers; Colin. Smyth, Postßank; Maurice Houston, assistant general manager United Building Society; Bill Hildyard, B.N.Z. John Laird, manager new services, Trust Bank; A. C. Iversen, Christchurch City Council; Simon Price, Law Society; Alan Mehrtens, assistant manager loans, Housing Corporation; Brian Atkins, manager, Housing Corporation; Bob Newton, South Island sales manager, Fire and General Division, A.M.P. Society. The seminars are free, but to attend you must enrol. Participants are limited to 200. Details for enrolling are on this page. The seminar on July 19 is for first home buyers. It

is aimed at those saving for their first home, those who want their own home but do not think they can afford one, and those yet to be convinced about the benefits of home ownership, say Mr Kent Prier, a national councillor for the Real Estate Institute and Mr Peter Cook, the president of the Real Estate Institute.

“Home buyers can sit down and learn about the professional services available, the finance options and gain a perspective of the home buying market at no cost or obligation,” Kent Prier said.

“In the current economic climate there are a number of uncertainties raised about finance, the availability of finance, the costs of obtaining it, interest rates and the different types of mortgage payments and legal costs. The possibilities of obtaining and negotiating affordable prices will be set out.

“We want to encourage people who think they cannot afford a home to come along and find out if they are right or wrong. They may well get a pleasant surprise,” he said.

The seminar is noncommercial; speakers will represent five banks from which finance can beavailable.

The advantages of buying an existing home will

be compared to building a new one. With an existing home you can buy into an established area and pick your social mix and services. Chattels are already in the home and landscaping and the back-breaking work of laying a drive is done for you and at a discounted price. With a new home you can choose exactly the design you want and decorate it as you like, Mr Prier said.

The Real Estate Institute will outline the range of professional services the home buyer can expect and what they can do if the performance of the real estate agent does not match expectations.

Home loan certificates and schemes such as Housing Corporation’s “Homestart” will be explained.