Title search, LIM review, and any property-specific investigations the deal needs.
What happens at this step
Once you are interested in a specific property, due diligence begins. The standard items are the Record of Title, the LIM (Land Information Memorandum) from council, and any building or pest inspection. Cross lease, unit title, and rural properties have additional items. Auction property compresses all of this into the pre-auction window.
What NZ Legal does
We pull the title, every encumbrance, and every easement. We review the LIM. We check the council file for unconsented work. We compare the flat plan to the building (cross lease) or the unit plan to the building (unit title). We send you a plain-English report on what we found.
What you do
Order the LIM (the agent often does this for you, but you can do it yourself for speed). Engage a building inspector if the property is older or has obvious wear. Read our title report carefully and ask questions. Drive past the property and check for anything obvious that the listing photos hid.
Common pitfalls
- Skipping the LIM because you are confident about the property. LIMs surface unconsented work, hazards, and council notices that nothing else does.
- Treating the building inspection as optional on older homes. It rarely is.
- Auction-day surprises because pre-auction due diligence was rushed.
