Five Listing Mistakes NZ Agents Can Prevent

Denese Konowe

Welcome to Kiwi Real Estate, Inside Out. I'm Denese, and today Lee and I are talking about five listing mistakes that New Zealand agents can prevent.

Dr Lee Konowe

And I'm Lee. The big idea is that a strong marketing campaign isn't enough. Pricing, disclosure, vendor communication and accurate paperwork all need attention, and that starts before a listing goes live.

Denese Konowe

Right. So the five mistakes are: leaving property disclosure until buyers ask, treating compliance and contract preparation as last minute administration, setting a price without a clear evidence base, expecting advertising to make up for weak presentation, and giving vendors updates that don't help them decide anything.

Dr Lee Konowe

Let's start with disclosure. Why is waiting for buyers to ask such a problem?

Denese Konowe

Because disclosure should begin in your vendor conversations, not with a difficult question at an open home. If you leave it until late in the campaign, buyers may be deciding whether to make an offer with incomplete information.

Dr Lee Konowe

So what does doing it properly look like at the start?

Denese Konowe

Discuss disclosure obligations up front. Ask about known defects, and investigate potential concerns, including possible weathertightness problems. And don't treat a vendor's reassurance as a substitute for looking into something that needs further investigation.

Dr Lee Konowe

I'd add that you should explain the process, so your vendor understands that relevant property issues can't simply be left out of the sales conversation. Then follow up on potential defects rather than making assumptions about how significant they are.

Denese Konowe

Then give buyers the relevant disclosures in writing before they make an offer, and encourage independent advice. Support them in getting appropriate expert advice rather than trying to resolve technical questions yourself.

Dr Lee Konowe

What if the vendor refuses to let you disclose a defect?

Denese Konowe

If it's a disclosure you're required to make, you must not continue representing them on that basis. Keeping the listing is never a justification for withholding information.

Dr Lee Konowe

And the other side of it. Buyers can do their own due diligence, so can an agent lean on that?

Denese Konowe

No. Buyer due diligence doesn't replace your disclosure responsibilities. You provide relevant information and you encourage buyers to investigate independently. For regulatory guidance, consult the Real Estate Authority.

Dr Lee Konowe

Good. That takes us to mistake two: treating compliance and contract preparation as last minute administration.

Denese Konowe

A campaign can attract a willing buyer and still hit avoidable delays if identity checks, forms or agreement details aren't ready. Compliance failures can also expose you to penalties.

Dr Lee Konowe

So what should agents prepare early?

Denese Konowe

The administrative foundations. Complete the required anti money laundering and countering financing of terrorism checks before marketing, rather than leaving verification until an offer arrives. And check that the information you rely on is current.

Dr Lee Konowe

Is there an official place agents can look for guidance?

Denese Konowe

Yes. The Department of Internal Affairs has AML/CFT guidance with official information relevant to your compliance process.

Dr Lee Konowe

Now the agreement itself. People fixate on the price and forget everything else in it.

Denese Konowe

Exactly. Check the agreement, not just the price. Use the current applicable ADLS/REINZ sale and purchase forms, rather than reusing an old saved version. Give the details the same attention as the negotiated price.

Dr Lee Konowe

Chattels are a classic one. List the included items explicitly so neither party has to rely on assumptions.

Denese Konowe

And what about dates and signing?

Dr Lee Konowe

Identify and manage the dates that require action. Arrange for each party to have their own lawyer review the agreement before signing. For digital signing, use an agency approved electronic signature platform, such as DocuSign, within your agency's procedures.

Denese Konowe

But a convenient signing process isn't the same as a complete contract review, is it?

Dr Lee Konowe

Not at all. An electronic signature platform helps you obtain signatures. It does not replace checking the agreement or obtaining legal advice.

Denese Konowe

Mistake three: setting an initial price without a clear evidence base. Where do agents go wrong?

Dr Lee Konowe

Your initial pricing strategy needs to be grounded in market evidence. An inflated price can leave a property sitting on the market and losing momentum. An unnecessarily low price can compromise the vendor's return.

Denese Konowe

So the aim is a defensible appraisal, not simply a figure the vendor wants to hear.

Dr Lee Konowe

Yes. Use market data to explain your recommendation, show your vendor the evidence, and explain the risks at both extremes, overpricing as well as underpricing. Also establish up front how you'll respond to buyer feedback once the campaign begins.

Denese Konowe

And once the campaign is live?

Dr Lee Konowe

Monitor the response. Gather buyer feedback alongside campaign engagement, and respond promptly. Revisit the strategy when market feedback suggests your original approach isn't working.

Denese Konowe

Can you give an example?

Dr Lee Konowe

If buyers repeatedly identify price as the barrier to making an offer, bring that feedback into your vendor discussion. Repeating the original appraisal without considering new information is not an effective review.

Denese Konowe

But a quiet campaign isn't always a pricing problem, is it?

Dr Lee Konowe

Equally true. Review presentation and marketing alongside price before recommending your next step.

Denese Konowe

Which brings us to mistake four: expecting advertising to compensate for weak presentation. Inadequate marketing limits a property's reach, but promotion alone cannot solve poor preparation.

Dr Lee Konowe

You need both useful marketing assets and a property that is ready to present clearly. So before commissioning photography, work with your vendor to declutter and address minor maintenance issues.

Denese Konowe

The objective is to make the available space and light easier for buyers to appreciate. And what should the core marketing assets include?

Dr Lee Konowe

Professional photography that presents the property clearly. A walkthrough recording that helps buyers understand how the spaces connect. Clear floor plans that make the layout easier to assess. And specific lifestyle benefits that explain how the property could suit a buyer's needs.

Denese Konowe

Keep those lifestyle descriptions tied to the property's actual features. You want buyers to understand its appeal, not work through vague promotional language.

Dr Lee Konowe

And assess marketing by the response it supports. Attractive assets matter, but your campaign also needs to move buyers towards enquiries, private inspections and offers. If interest isn't progressing, examine what buyers are responding to and what remains unclear.

Denese Konowe

That leads us to mistake five: vendor updates that don't support decisions. Good communication is more than confirming an advertisement is live or an open home has finished.

Dr Lee Konowe

Your vendor needs enough information to understand the campaign and make informed decisions. So agree on your communication approach at the start. Explain what you will report, how you will share buyer feedback and how you will discuss changes to the strategy.

Denese Konowe

And what makes an update useful for a decision?

Dr Lee Konowe

Bring together three elements. First, relevant metrics, such as online saves. Second, buyer feedback, meaning what prospective buyers are actually saying about the property. Third, your recommendation, connecting the evidence to the next action, whether that concerns price, presentation or marketing.

Denese Konowe

For example, reporting online saves is useful, but it's more informative when you also explain whether interested buyers are asking questions, arranging inspections or raising recurring concerns.

Dr Lee Konowe

Communication responsibilities extend to buyers too. Answer questions truthfully, distinguish confirmed information from matters needing expert advice, and support reasonable due diligence.

Denese Konowe

And never fill a gap in your knowledge with an unsupported assurance. Lee, let's pull this together into checks agents can use at the points where mistakes are easiest to prevent.

Dr Lee Konowe

Before listing: discuss disclosure obligations and investigate potential property issues. Complete required AML/CFT checks and confirm that verification information is current. Prepare an evidence based appraisal and explain your pricing strategy. Agree on property preparation, marketing assets and vendor communication.

Denese Konowe

During the campaign: share engagement metrics and meaningful buyer feedback. Review price, presentation and marketing together. Provide written disclosures before buyers make offers, and encourage independent advice.

Dr Lee Konowe

And before signing: check that you are using the current applicable agreement. Confirm that chattels are explicitly recorded and deadlines are understood. Arrange independent legal review for both parties before signatures are obtained.

Denese Konowe

A reliable listing process connects commercial judgement with professional obligations. When you prepare disclosure and compliance early, price from evidence, market clearly and communicate consistently, you reduce avoidable problems throughout the sale.

Dr Lee Konowe

Well said. Thanks for listening, everyone.