Independent Property Acquisition in New Zealand, Australia and Internationally
Privé Search represents private buyers and family offices in sourcing extraordinary residential and lifestyle properties of the highest calibre. We act solely for the buyer, with no sales mandate and no conflicted incentives.
Our role is simple: to secure the right property, on the right terms, without unnecessary exposure.
Privé Search extends beyond buyer advocacy, operating with an acquisition mandate informed by nearly four decades of international consulting and development experience, together with discreet sourcing and independent due diligence.
What Privé Search Delivers
- Access to on-market, off-market and private sale opportunities through long-standing industry networks
- Independent assessment of value, risk, condition and potential
- Discreet negotiation and transaction management on the client’s behalf
- Coordination with legal, tax, immigration and fiduciary advisers
Each search is undertaken on an exclusive mandate and managed directly by senior principals.
Engagement
Search engagements are highly selective and limited in number. Clients are represented from initial brief through to unconditional contract, with continuity of oversight throughout.
For overseas buyers, we navigate OIO (Overseas Investment Office) requirements and coordinate cross-border legal and tax considerations as a matter of course.
Experience, Quietly Evidenced
- More than twenty-five years acquiring premium residential and lifestyle assets in New Zealand (37 years internationally).
- Transactions spanning waterfront estates, rural holdings, vineyards, urban residences and development sites.
- Long-standing relationships with private sellers, developers and senior agency principals across Auckland, Queenstown, Hawke’s Bay, the Bay of Islands and beyond
Credentials are not publicised. Outcomes are.
For Clients Considering New Zealand
For those exploring relocation, investment or establishing a long-term presence, Privé Search can be combined with Privé Local: our curated familiarisation programme designed to inform location, entertainment, and lifestyle decisions before acquisition begins.
Next Step
To discuss a potential search mandate, please arrange a confidential conversation.
FAQ’s
Buyer’s agents in New Zealand typically earn a commission from the transaction, which creates an inherent conflict of interest, they benefit when you pay more. Privé Search operates on a fee-for-service basis with no commission. We have no financial incentive tied to what you pay for the property. Our only mandate is to secure the right property on the best possible terms for you.
Yes. Through long-standing relationships with private sellers, developers, and senior agency principals across New Zealand, we access on-market, off-market, and private sale opportunities. Many of our acquisitions involve properties that were never publicly listed.
Foreign nationals generally cannot purchase existing residential property in New Zealand. However, holders of the Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa can now purchase or build one residential property valued at NZ$5 million or more, following a March 2026 amendment to the Overseas Investment Act. We coordinate the entire pathway from visa strategy through to property settlement.
We operate nationwide across New Zealand, with particular depth in Auckland, Queenstown, Hawke’s Bay, the Bay of Islands, and the Coromandel. We also acquire property in Australia and internationally through Privé Retreats.
We work on a fee-for-service basis, typically time-and-materials. There are no commissions, no success fees, and no third-party incentives. This ensures our advice is genuinely independent. Fee structures are discussed during the initial Complimentary discovery call and tailored to the scope of each engagement.
We deliberately limit active engagements. Ian Thompson personally oversees every search mandate, ensuring continuity and quality throughout the process. Each search is undertaken on an exclusive basis.
