Renee helped the reviewer buy this property

Review for Renee Zehnder & First National

On a personal level, Renee was friendly and approachable, which helped make the process feel less intimidating. Unfortunately, my experience with the wider First National team was more challenging. There appeared to be ongoing issues with administrative availability, leading to repeated delays in correcting and amending documents. We were often advised that the administrator was unavailable and would return the following week. These delays directly resulted in increased legal costs on our side. There were also some concerning gaps in knowledge around standard contract conditions. The agency did not appear familiar with common clauses such as a Solicitor’s Approval clause or a KiwiSaver clause, despite these being common additions to residential property contracts. During the offer process, we were advised that our offer had been presented to the seller with encouragement to seriously consider it. Less than 24 hours later, we were told that another offer had been received and that the property would be going to multi-offer, with the agent suggesting we consider improving our offer. This created enough uncertainty that we almost withdrew our offer entirely. By the time the stated multi-offer date arrived, we were informed that the other offer had been withdrawn beforehand, which left us feeling uneasy about how the situation had been handled. As this was my first home purchase, clear communication and strong administrative support were especially important to me. While I appreciate the friendliness of the agent, as a first home buyer I expected stronger administrative support throughout the process. On a positive note, I appreciated that the housewarming gift included cocktail mix additions rather than alcohol itself, as there are members of my household who are recovering from alcohol addiction. That consideration was thoughtful and well received.