Six Months of The Finders: What We've Learned About Buying Property in Taranaki

Six months ago, we set out to do something a little different in the New Zealand real estate industry. We wanted to change the way people buy property.

In an industry traditionally focused on selling houses, we saw an opportunity to do things from the other side of the transaction. To work exclusively for buyers. To help people find properties they might otherwise never discover, understand what they're really worth, identify potential risks and negotiate with someone firmly in their corner.

Six months into The Finders, we've learned a lot. About the market, about buyers, and about just how much happens behind the scenes of a property purchase. And the results have been encouraging.

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Our First Six Months by the Numbers

86% of our client purchases have been off-market.

$4.21 million in property purchased on behalf of our clients.

25 days on average from client engagement to securing a property under contract.

But beyond the numbers, it's what we've discovered along the way that's been most interesting.

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1. The Property Market Is Bigger Than What's Online

Perhaps our biggest takeaway is just how many opportunities exist outside the publicly advertised property market.

86% of the properties we've purchased for our clients have been off-market.

That means the vast majority of our purchases weren't properties our clients could simply find scrolling through Trade Me Property or realestate.co.nz. Some came through relationships with local salespeople. Others through conversations with property owners or identifying opportunities before they reached the wider market.

What we've discovered is that there are plenty of owners who would consider selling under the right circumstances, even if their property isn't advertised. For buyers, this changes the search process entirely. Rather than waiting for something suitable to appear online, we can actively look for properties that meet their requirements. And sometimes, the right property is one that isn't technically for sale yet.

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2. Buying Well Isn't Always About Paying Less

One thing we've reinforced over the past six months is that the cheapest property isn't necessarily the best purchase. We've assessed properties that appeared to represent excellent value, only to uncover issues during due diligence that significantly changed the numbers. Building defects, Healthy Homes compliance, insurance considerations, title restrictions, unconsented work and future maintenance costs can all influence whether a property makes financial sense.

In some cases, those findings create an opportunity to negotiate. In others, the right advice is simply to walk away.

One of our investment purchases involved three residential units close to the New Plymouth CBD. Through market research, negotiations and comprehensive due diligence, we secured the properties at 19% below market value, creating 19% immediate equity ($235,000), with a gross rental yield of at least 7.9%.

That result wasn't achieved by simply putting forward a low offer. It involved understanding the property, identifying its risks and negotiating a price that reflected the findings.

What we've learned? The best negotiations are backed by evidence, not emotion.

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3. There's No Such Thing as a One-Size-Fits-All Buyer

Over the past six months, we've worked with buyers at very different stages of life. From investors looking to grow their portfolios to families searching for their next home, every client has brought different priorities and challenges. We've helped buyers secure investment properties with multiple rental income streams, identify lifestyle opportunities and navigate purchases involving detailed due diligence.

One particularly rewarding purchase involved clients who had spent more than two years searching for the right lifestyle property. Within three weeks of engaging The Finders, we had identified and secured an off-market opportunity that met their requirements.

It's experiences like these that reinforce why understanding a buyer's individual needs is so important. Sometimes the biggest value isn't negotiating a lower price. It's finding the right property in the first place.

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4. Due Diligence Is Where Some of the Most Important Work Happens

Finding a property is often the exciting part. But what happens between signing an agreement and going unconditional can be just as important.

Over the past six months, we've spent countless hours reviewing council property files, certificates of title, building reports, insurance requirements, rental appraisals and compliance information. We've come across properties with unexpected maintenance requirements, title complications and issues that weren't immediately apparent during inspections.

And we've learned that no matter how good a property looks, there's always value in asking more questions. A property might look fantastic at an open home, but the real story is often found in the documents.

Our view is simple: it's better to uncover a problem before buying than inherit an expensive surprise afterwards.

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5. Buyers Are Starting to See the Value of Having Someone on Their Side

Buyer's agents are still relatively unfamiliar to many New Zealanders. When we first started The Finders, a common question was:

"So, how does it actually work?"

Most people understand the role of a real estate salesperson when selling their home. But the concept of engaging someone to represent them when buying is still developing here. What we've found is that once people understand the service, the value becomes much clearer.

We're not simply finding houses. We're researching, inspecting, evaluating, coordinating specialists, negotiating and managing the purchasing process. We're also providing an independent perspective when emotions start to influence decisions. And perhaps most importantly, we're working exclusively for the buyer.

One of the most rewarding parts of the past six months has been seeing clients recognise the difference that representation can make.

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6. Helping Buyers Make Smarter Decisions Goes Beyond Our Services

While we believe strongly in the value of independent buyer representation, we also recognise that not everyone looking to buy property will need, or choose to engage, a buyer's agent. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have access to good information.

One thing that's important to us at The Finders is helping people make smarter, more informed property decisions, whether they use our services or not. That's a big part of why we created The Finders Buyer Hub: a free collection of practical property resources, insights and advice that anyone can access.

From understanding the due diligence process and avoiding common buying mistakes to assessing property value and navigating the Taranaki market, the Buyer Hub is designed to give buyers useful information they can apply to their own property journey.

We want people to feel better equipped to ask the right questions, recognise potential risks and understand what they're committing to when making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

For us, it's about more than finding clients and securing properties. It's about contributing to a property market where buyers have better access to information and can make decisions based on knowledge rather than guesswork.

You don't have to work with The Finders to benefit from what we know.

If our resources help someone avoid a costly mistake, ask a better question or feel more prepared to buy a property, then we're happy to have played a part. And if they decide they would like professional representation along the way, we're here to help with that too.

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7. Relationships Matter More Than Ever

One thing that hasn't changed in real estate is the importance of relationships. Our ability to identify off-market opportunities relies heavily on the relationships we've developed with local salespeople, property managers, lawyers, mortgage advisers and property owners.

We've been fortunate to receive support and referrals from professionals across the Taranaki property industry. And we've found that there is real value in collaboration. When everyone communicates openly and understands their role, transactions tend to run more smoothly.

We might represent the buyer while another salesperson represents the seller, but that doesn't mean the process needs to be adversarial. Good communication, professionalism and well-supported negotiations can help both parties work towards a successful outcome.

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So, What's Next for The Finders?

The first six months have reinforced why we started this business. There's a genuine need for independent buyer representation in New Zealand. Buying property can be complicated, emotional and financially significant. Yet many buyers still navigate the process without someone exclusively representing their interests.

We want to continue changing that.

Our ambition is simple: when someone in Taranaki is thinking about buying property, we want The Finders to be the first name that comes to mind.

We want to become the go-to resource for property buyers in our region, whether they're looking for their first home, their next family home, a lifestyle property or an investment. That means continuing to build strong relationships, uncovering more off-market opportunities and helping more buyers access properties they might otherwise miss.

It also means continuing to expand The Finders Buyer Hub with practical, independent property advice. We believe better-informed buyers are better-equipped buyers, regardless of whether they choose to work with us. Sharing what we know is just as important to us as the services we provide.

Ultimately, we want to help shape a property market where buyers have access to better information, stronger representation and the support they need to make informed decisions. But our objective isn't just to become the biggest buyer's agency.

It's to become the best, and the name people trust when they're ready to buy.

A business known for doing the research, providing straightforward advice, negotiating well and genuinely putting buyers first, both through the services we provide and the knowledge we share.

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A Final Word: Thank You

Starting a new business always involves a degree of uncertainty, particularly when you're introducing a service that many people are still learning about. The support we've received over the past six months has been fantastic. To our clients who have trusted us with one of their biggest financial decisions, thank you.

To the salespeople, property managers, lawyers, mortgage advisers and other professionals who have supported us, referred clients and helped bring transactions together, we genuinely appreciate it. And to everyone who has followed our journey, shared our content or recommended The Finders to someone, thank you.

Six months in, we're proud of what we've achieved.

But more importantly, we're excited about what's ahead.

Here's to helping more New Zealanders buy property with confidence, clarity and someone firmly on their side.

The Finders Property Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

Disclaimer: Business statistics are based on The Finders' internal records and published website figures as at October 2026. Individual client outcomes are not indicative of future results. References to assessed market value reflect The Finders' own assessment and do not constitute a registered valuation.

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Thinking about buying property in Taranaki?

Whether you're just starting to look, have already found a property, or simply want to know what your options are, Thomas is happy to have a chat.

The first conversation is free, there's no obligation, and no pressure to proceed. Just straightforward advice from someone who knows the Taranaki market.

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