For peace of mind, seek advice from qualified professionals

Often our clients’ first introduction to using a lawyer will be when they are purchasing their first home. The complexities of property law can seem daunting to most of us; legal advice from a qualified professional can be the easiest and safest solution.

Regardless of whether you are a first time home buyer or an experienced property developer, we can assist with your property law requirements. Our team of experts can help in the following areas:

Residential Property Law

We aim to make the process of buying or selling your home as easy as possible, from start to finish.

We can advise on:

  • Entry into a sale agreement
  • Entry into a purchase agreement
  • Drafting an agreement on your behalf
  • How to manage any requirements that are set
  • How to liaise with the other party’s solicitor, the real estate agent, and your bank if finance or a discharge of mortgage is required
  • The title to the property and the type of property you are purchasing (when acting for the purchaser)
  • The best ownership structure for your situation
  • The settlement and transfer of the property.

Commercial Property Purchase Options

It is relatively easy to purchase commercial property in New Zealand, either as an investment or as a business base for your own company.

The options for buying a commercial property in New Zealand include:

  • Buying as an individual
  • Buying as a partnership
  • Buying through a company
  • Buying through a trust

Before making any offer on a property you should arrange for a legal consultation. We can advise and negotiate for you during the offer period, as well as offer information on relevant tax matters such as whether you’ll need to pay the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the property.

If you are purchasing a commercial property, in addition to the above services we can also:

  • Assist with your due diligence investigation
  • Advise on any additional securities that may be required by your bank such as guarantees
  • Explain to you your obligations as a landlord if the property is to be tenanted
  • Attend to the drafting of commercial lease documents if required

If you are looking to build a property, we can provide advice on building contracts, and how to ensure you are sufficiently protected if anything goes wrong due to building disputes.

Building disputes can arise as a result of the quality of work in relation to house extensions, conservatories, refurbishments and new builds. These might also be intertwined with a claim for professional negligence.

Expert evidence is vital and we have close links with building and construction experts who we use on a regular basis. We also have extensive experience of these disputes and can assist in order to resolve these matters as fast as possible.

Subdivisions

We are the leading law firm in Hawke’s Bay for providing legal assistance with small and large scale subdivisions. Willis Legal have specialist knowledge in all aspects of the law and the procedures regarding subdivisions for all types of land.